Over 20% Telangana electors may be deleted from draft rolls
More than a fifth of the electors in Telangana are likely to be excluded from the draft electoral rolls to be published on August 17, 2026, according to data from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Chief Electoral Officer, C. Sudharshan Reddy, said that as of 6 p.m. on the final day of the enumeration phase, 73,47,075 enumeration forms were categorised as 'Uncollectable' – meaning they were not returned by electors. This amounts to nearly 22% of the total State electorate.
In addition, 2,85,571 electors have been identified as Absent, Shifted and Dead, while 3,21,151 names have been flagged as Demographically Similar Entries, indicating possible duplication. These categories are also set to be excluded from the draft rolls. However, the process allows affected electors to present their case before final publication.
According to the CEO's office, a total of 3,38,26,448 electoral forms were distributed to Booth Level Officers for enumeration. Of these, only 2,64,73,616 forms – or 78.26% – were returned, including 11,33,692 forms filled online by electors. The remaining forms were either not collected or not submitted, leading to the high uncollectable figure.
Among the forms submitted, officials found 60,69,065 anomalies or logical discrepancies, which account for almost 23% of the returned forms. These electors will receive notices from Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) starting August 17, 2026. Hearings will be conducted up to October 15, 2026, alongside the settlement of claims and objections, before the final electoral rolls are published on October 19, 2026.
The district-level data shows significant variation. Adilabad recorded the highest anomaly rate at 28.49% of its total electorate, followed by Wanaparthy at 27.83%. In terms of uncollectable forms, Hyderabad topped the list at 41.09%, though its anomaly rate was only 14.18%. Medchal Malkajgiri and Ranga Reddy districts also reported high uncollectable rates of 36.01% and 34.78%, respectively.
On the other hand, Yadadri Bhongir recorded the highest form collection rate at 94.31%, while Hyderabad had the lowest at 58.92%. The office emphasised that these figures are part of a standard revision exercise aimed at cleaning the electoral roll, and that all actions are taken in accordance with the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Election Commission's guidelines.
Registered electors who receive notices will have the opportunity to provide documentation or clarification before the final rolls are published. The CEO's office has urged citizens to check their names and respond to any communication from EROs to avoid being omitted from the final electoral roll.
