Andhra Roundtable Raises Electoral Roll Concerns, Forms Voter Protection Forum
Speakers at a roundtable meeting organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Vijayawada on Friday expressed concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for electoral rolls, calling for measures to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded. The meeting, chaired by CPI(M) State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao, adopted a resolution affirming that the Election Commission has the responsibility to protect the voting rights of all citizens who have attained the age of 18.
The resolution, moved by CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao, emphasised that safeguarding voting rights is a shared responsibility of all sections of society. Participants decided to form a Voter Protection Forum to monitor alleged irregularities and protect voter rights. The forum's composition will be finalised after consultations with public organisations and political parties, and a representation will be submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer.
Senior advocate Sunkara Rajendra Prasad was named as the convener of the forum. Former IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao, former MLC K.S. Lakshmana Rao, V. Lakshmana Reddy of Jana Chaitanya Vedika, Ramesh Patnaik of Meluko Andhra Pradesh, and social activist Kurra Vasundhara will be associated with it.
In his address, Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged that the SIR process was being used to remove names from electoral rolls, and criticised the procedure that requires voters to prove their eligibility. He argued that the Election Commission should take responsibility for correcting errors and ensuring the inclusion of every eligible citizen. He demanded that the voter registration deadline be extended until the end of September.
Former IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao suggested establishing a helpline to assist voters facing difficulties. Senior YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu and others criticised the manner in which the revision exercise was being conducted.
The meeting was attended by several political and civil society leaders, including APCC leader Kolanukonda Sivaji, AP Bar Council member Sunkara Rajendra Prasad, New Democracy leader P. Prasad, Jana Chaitanya Vedika convener V. Lakshmana Reddy, MCPI(U) leader M. Venkata Reddy, Meluko Andhra Pradesh convener Ramesh Patnaik, and CPI(ML) Liberation leader Uday.
The formation of the Voter Protection Forum comes amid ongoing concerns about the accuracy and fairness of the electoral roll revision process in Andhra Pradesh. The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR is a routine exercise to update rolls, but the roundtable participants argued that procedural hurdles could disenfranchise legitimate voters.
