‘No eligible voter will be left out’

Q. How will SIR be implemented in Telangana, and what does it mean for voters in the state? -- Mannila Shanthi KiranA. During the enumeration phase (June 25 to July 7), partially pre-printed enumeration forms will be distributed to each elector and duly filled enumeration forms will be collected by BLOs. Names of all the electors whose forms are received during the enumeration phase will be included in the draft roll. Notices will be issued to all those electors whose names could not be matched/linked with the last SIR. Such cases will be heard for eligibility, and a decision will be taken on the inclusion or exclusion of their names in the final rolls.Q. What safeguards are in place to ensure names are not removed from the electoral rolls without the voter’s knowledge? -- Harish ReddyA. Names of all electors whose enumeration forms are received during the enumeration phase will be included in the draft roll. Details of electors whose enumeration forms are not received will be published and also put on the CEO website. If any name is missed, they can file a claim during the claims and objection period.Q. I am an ex-serviceman whose name was included in the 2002 SIR. However, the BLO in our area is mapping voters with only their parents, even when the individual’s own name is present in the records. Could you please tell us the options available for mapping with self, parents, or grandparents? -- SyedA. Voters whose names were in the SIR 2002 electoral roll and in the present ER may be linked/mapped under self-mapping. Voters who are in the present ER and not in the SIR 2002 ER may be linked/mapped through their parents or grandparents.Q. How can I ensure that my voter ID is included in the SIR process? If the BLO does not visit for door-to-door verification, what options do citizens have to get their details verified? -- Avinash IA. For matching/linking, electors can access the all-India database (https://voters.eci.gov.in/) of the previous SIR. Electors can also fill the EF online. BLOs are bound to visit each house at least three times to distribute and collect enumeration forms.Q. What is the expected timeline for the entire SIR process in Telangana, and when will the final updated electoral roll be published? -- Rama DeviA. The expected timeline for the entire SIR process in Telangana is 95 days, as per the schedule announced by ECI.Q. What is the grievance redressal mechanism if a voter’s name is wrongly removed from the electoral roll? Also, what steps are being taken to create awareness among citizens about the ongoing process? -- Nagarajamani MVA. District magistrates/DEOs (DMs) will hear the first appeal against the decision of the ERO. Chief electoral officers will hear the second appeal against the decision of DMs/DEOs. Wide publicity will be given through print, electronic, and social media platforms.Q. I recently shifted my residence from Mumbai to Hyderabad. How can I get my name included in the electoral roll here during the SIR process? Do I first need to delete my name from the Mumbai voters’ list? Could you please explain the procedure? -- Jagannadha Rao PulapakaA. A declaration form must be submitted along with Form 8 for shifting of residence from outside the state of Telangana during the period for claims and objections.Q. How can citizens actively participate in monitoring or reporting inaccuracies in the electoral rolls to improve transparency in the system? -- Chada Rekha RaoA. List of absent/shifted/death/duplicate names not included in the draft roll will be put on the CEO website/public offices. Draft rolls and final rolls will be made available online. Citizens can file claims and objections, and they will be disposed of following due procedure.Q. What measures are being taken to identify bogus voters in the electoral rolls while ensuring that no genuine voter is mistakenly removed? -- Dr MS Krishna KumarA. BLOs will distribute the enumeration forms to each existing elector and help the elector in matching/linking with either their name or their relatives’ names in the last SIR held in 2002. BLOs will make at least three visits to the house of each elector to collect EFs. They will identify dead, permanently shifted voters and voters who are registered at more than one place. Electors can also fill the forms online, particularly urban voters/temporary migrants, and submit it online. EROs/AEROs will ensure that no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible person is included.Q. How will the SIR benefit voters? What are the criteria or parameters used to enrol young voters and ensure that all eligible first-time voters are included in the rolls? -- Venkat RudraA. The last SIR was done more than 24 years back, in 2002. Many changes in electoral rolls have occurred due to frequent migration, voters getting registered at more than one place, and non-removal of dead voters. SIR will help purify the electoral roll. New voters have to apply in Form 6 with a declaration form for inclusion as new electors.Q. I am originally from West Bengal but permanently shifted to Hyderabad in 1980. I got my name deleted from the West Bengal voters’ list and received my EPIC in Hyderabad (then part of undivided Andhra Pradesh) in 2012. While my name appears in the 2025 voters’ list, I could not find it in the 2002 list and do not remember the polling station details either. What documents should I keep ready for the SIR process? -- Shyamal Ghosh RoyA. Electors who were born in India before July 07,1987 should provide, for self, any one of the documents establishing their date of birth and/or place of birth from the list of documents given in the enumeration form.Q. My wife and I registered for voter IDs at the same time. While I received my EPIC in Sept 2025, she is yet to receive hers. Despite numerous calls to the 1950 helpline and emails to the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana, there has been no resolution. How can such cases be addressed? -- Tushar ChudgarA. You can track the status of your wife’s application and EPIC at (https://voters.eci.gov.in/). You can also apply for a duplicate EPIC through Form 8.Q. Despite casting my vote earlier, my name has been missing from the voters’ list for a long time. How can I get it included again during the SIR process? I am also unsure whether my name was part of the 2002 SIR list. -- GSV PrasadA. New voters have to apply in Form 6 with a Declaration Form for inclusion as a new elector.Q. I shifted my residence from Amberpet to Parvatapur and submitted Form 8 along with my family members on Jan 30 for change of address and assembly constituency. However, the application has not been processed yet. Officials say a large number of pending applications. What is the usual timeframe for processing such requests? -- Jakkam SrinivasA. Filing of claims and objections is a continuous process. They are disposed of following due procedure by the ERO. Usually, they are disposed of after seven days. You can contact the toll-free helpline number 1950 and give your details.Q. Our family moved to Hyderabad from Chennai in March 2021. All of us have valid EPICs issued in Tamil Nadu. We have submitted Form 6 twice for fresh EPICs in Telangana, but there has been no progress. Because of this, we were unable to vote in the last elections. Will the proposed SIR help resolve such cases? -- J KannanA. You can apply in Form 6 with a declaration form for inclusion as a new elector and track your application at voters.eci.gov.in. For any assistance, you can use the toll-free helpline number 1950.Q. If a voter finds errors in personal details such as name, age, or gender in the electoral roll, which form should they submit during the SIR process and how long does it typically take for corrections to be reflected? Also, will voters still be mapped during SIR if there are minor variations in their personal details across documents? -- Geetha PA. Application for correction or updation of entries, replacement of EPIC, and marking of PwD shall be in Form 8 and shall be preferred by the person to whom that entry relates. Voters will be mapped during SIR even if there are minor variations in their personal details across documents.Q. For elderly voters, persons with disabilities, or those who are frequently away for work, what provisions exist if they are unable to be present during door-to-door verification by BLOs? -- Sai KiranA. BLOs will distribute the EFs to each existing elector and help the elector in matching/linking with either their name or their relatives’ names in the last SIR held in 2002. BLOs will make at least three visits to the house of each elector to collect EFs. Volunteers will be deployed to take care of genuine electors, particularly the elderly, sick persons, PwDs, the poor, and other vulnerable groups, who will be facilitated to a great extent.Q. If a voter submits an application for inclusion, deletion, or correction but it is rejected, what is the appeal mechanism available and whom should the voter approach? – Neeraj SharmaA. An appeal under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, against the order of the Electoral Registration Officer rejecting or allowing an application under Rule 26 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, shall be presented to the district election officer (DEO) within 15 days of the order appealed against or sent by registered post so as to reach him within that period. An appeal against the order of the DEO can be preferred before the chief electoral officer within 30 days from the date of the order appealed against or sent by registered post so as to reach him within that period.Q. What role do political parties and polling agents play in the SIR process, and how does the Election Commission ensure that the revision remains impartial and transparent? -- Amit KumarA. CEOs, DEOs, and EROs conduct meetings with all recognised political parties and explain the SIR process in full detail. Training of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by all recognised political parties will be conducted. BLAs can also collect duly filled-in EFs from electors, certify up to 50 EFs/day, and submit them to BLOs. Draft electoral rolls, lists of claims and objections, and final electoral rolls are provided to political parties. BLAs may bring discrepancies to the notice of BLOs and EROs. They will be rectified as per rules.Q. Many voters are unsure whether their details are already correct in the electoral roll. What is the easiest way for citizens in Telangana to check their details online or offline before the SIR begins? -- Sree CharanA. Electors can check their details and their parents’ details in the all-India database (https://voters.eci.gov.in/) of the previous SIR and the present electoral roll. They can also access them on the CEO Telangana website.