HYDERABAD: Non-availability of forms, manpower challenges and action against a “negligent” officer marked the commencement of the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana on Thursday.
Though 35,985 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were deployed across the state, where the SIR is being carried out after 24 years, enumeration forms were not available in five Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad district — Jubilee Hills, Karwan, Yakhutpura, Bahadurpura and Musheerabad.
Officials, however, informed that as many as 23,000 to 25,000 enumeration forms were distributed to voters across Hyderabad district.
Meanwhile, action was initiated against a senior officer found negligent in the implementation of the SIR process in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. Hyderabad District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan issued a show-cause notice to Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) Chief Examiner of Accounts, Venkateswara Reddy for failing to release five employees to discharge their duties as BLOs.
The action was taken on the very first day of the enumeration process after it came to light that the employees had not been assigned election-related duties. Appropriate action was also initiated against Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) who failed to attend awareness programmes related to SIR.
The enumeration process is facing manpower challenges in three municipal corporations under the CURE jurisdiction. Officials said that ASHA workers cannot be spared for SIR duties until June 30, 2026 due to their involvement in the upcoming Pulse Polio programme, scheduled to begin on June 28.
Since Pulse Polio is a national-level public health initiative, their participation is mandatory. Similarly, Anganwadi workers are also required to perform Pulse Polio-related duties, adding to the staffing constraints, officials said.
Meanwhile, officials attributed non-availability of enumeration forms in five Assembly segments to delay in printing the forms in English. While Telugu forms are being distributed across the rest of the state, political parties had requested English forms for Hyderabad, considering the city’s diverse population comprising voters from different regions and states.
The distribution of enumeration forms is being carried out by BLOs in coordination with the Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of recognised political parties, under the supervision of supervisors, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and Electoral Registration Officers.
During the enumeration phase, BLOs will conduct house-to-house visits and provide enumeration forms to all existing electors, who can then submit the filled forms either through the BLO or online. To ensure maximum coverage, BLOs will visit each household for distribution, collection and verification of forms.
Voters who are unable to submit their enumeration forms by that date may apply through Form 6, meant for the inclusion of new voters, along with the prescribed declaration form, during the claims and objections period.
HC QUESTIONS TELUGU-ONLY SIR FORMS
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the distribution of Enumeration Forms (EF) exclusively in Telugu outside Greater Hyderabad during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Justice Pulla Karthik was hearing a writ petition filed by MA Mujeeb Ayyub, who challenged the Telugu-only physical distribution of the forms. Senior advocate
V Ragunath, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the practice could exclude linguistic and minority communities unfamiliar with Telugu from the electoral roll revision process. He contended that restricting English forms to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits was arbitrary, as non-Telugu-speaking voters also live in rural and other urban parts of the state.
He submitted that voters should receive forms in accessible languages as a matter of right and should not have to depend on BLOs to provide alternative copies on request. The matter is expected to be listed on Monday.