Telangana SIR 2026 | Notices issued merely 48 hours before hearing, insistence on personal appearance may lead to large scale deletions: TPCC

Members of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Election Commission Co-ordination Committee met with the Chief Electoral Officer to raise concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls in Telangana. The delegation, led by Pulipati Rajesh Kumar, expressed worry that the short notice period for electors to appear personally could result in a significant number of deletions.

Many electors, including the elderly, daily wage workers, students, and those living abroad, may not be able to attend at such short notice. The representatives requested that authorized family members be allowed to represent the electors and urged the CEO to issue instructions accordingly. The delegation also noted that the principles of natural justice require a minimum notice of seven days, and requested the CEO to provide clear instructions to Booth Level Officers on the required proof of age, identity, relative, or address.

The Committee further suggested the possibility of enabling online submission of proof documents, similar to Forms 6/7/8, to ease the burden on Electoral Registration Officers and make the process more convenient for electors. Lastly, they asked for weekly meetings between EROs and political parties to ensure transparency regarding the notice period.