BJP alleges 45 lakh voters wrongly removed, seeks extension of electoral roll revision deadline

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged the Election Commission of India to extend the deadline for submitting claims and objections during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that many eligible voters may otherwise miss the chance to be included. The party also alleged that over 45 lakh voters have been wrongly marked as 'shifted' and deleted from the draft rolls.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Hyderabad on Wednesday, BJP state general secretary Vemula Ashok requested that the deadline for filing claims and objections be extended from September 16 to October 7. He also asked that the period for issuing notices and disposing of claims and objections be extended from October 15 to November 6.

The party stated that of the 92.88 lakh notices generated for voters whose records had discrepancies or lacked mapping with the 2002 electoral rolls, only 31.74 lakh notices had been delivered so far. Of these, hearings had been conducted in only 1.94 lakh cases at the Assistant Electoral Officer level, it claimed.

The BJP alleged that more than 45 lakh voters had been categorised as 'absent, shifted, dead or duplicate' and marked as permanently shifted, leading to the deletion of their names from the draft electoral rolls despite many continuing to reside in the same localities. The party cited a polling station in the Karwan Assembly constituency as an example, claiming several voters had been wrongly classified. It further alleged that voters in the GHMC area and other municipal corporations were receiving notices seeking details from the 2002 electoral rolls despite their records already being mapped.

The Special Intensive Revision is a routine exercise conducted by the Election Commission to update electoral rolls, correct errors, and remove duplicate or ineligible entries. The process involves field verification and invites claims and objections from the public. In Telangana, the draft electoral rolls were published in August, and the final rolls are scheduled to be published in November.

The BJP's demands highlight concerns about the effectiveness and fairness of the revision process. The party has argued that the low delivery rate of notices and the heavy backlog of hearings indicate that many voters may not be able to contest deletions or additions before the deadline. The party has urged the Election Commission to address these issues and provide additional time to ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the electoral rolls.

Election Commission officials have not yet responded to the memorandum. The Commission is expected to review the request and take a decision based on the data and operational feasibility. Officials have previously stated that the SIR process is carried out transparently and that all eligible voters are given ample opportunity to file claims and objections.

The issue has political significance, as the accuracy of electoral rolls can affect the credibility of elections. Political parties across the spectrum have often raised concerns about deletions and additions during such exercises. The Election Commission has maintained that it follows statutory procedures and that any discrepancies can be raised through the formal mechanism.

As the deadline approaches, the focus remains on ensuring that the electoral rolls are error-free and inclusive. The final electoral rolls will be the basis for the upcoming elections in the state. It remains to be seen whether the Commission will accede to the BJP's request and extend the deadline.