SIR: Telangana Poll Chief Orders Action Against Bulk Form 7 For Voter Deletions

Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C Sudharsan Reddy has directed election officials to take action against those who knowingly submit false declarations in electoral-roll forms, amid allegations of bulk, non-genuine Form 7 applications during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Form 7 is used to object to the inclusion of a name or seek the deletion of an existing name from the electoral roll.

The ruling Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM have accused the BJP of submitting bulk Form 7 applications, which the latter has rejected.

Reddy instructed Collectors, District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers to first conduct a proper inquiry before initiating action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, read with Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

Telangana has so far received 28,753 Form 7 applications, including around 5,000 from Hyderabad.

Reddy said applications submitted in bulk, including those by political parties, must be carefully verified before any deletion is ordered.

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The CEO has also issued detailed instructions for disposing of SIR notices. Booth Level Officers have been told to visit voters at home, collect supporting documents and upload them on the ECI system for a decision by the ERO/AERO. Physical hearings should be held only in exceptional cases, while an adult family member may represent the elector when authorised.

The directive follows allegations of pre-printed Form 7 applications being used to seek deletion of eligible voters in parts of Hyderabad.

The Congress has alleged an organised misuse and demanded an investigation into how voter data was accessed and used to prepare the forms.

Telangana Congress spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin alleged that pre-printed forms were prepared using electoral-roll data and demanded that the Election Commission seize such applications, examine download logs and identify those behind their preparation and distribution.

"Who downloaded the rolls, who selected the families, who printed the forms and who distributed them?" he asked, calling for a probe into the alleged misuse of voter data.

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AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who is also MP from Hyderabad, has said, "If false Form 7 are being filed, we appeal to the Election Commission to take action against those responsible. If this drama does not stop, protests bigger than those at Delhi's Jantar Mantar will take place on the roads and streets of Hyderabad."

As of October 3, out of 92,88,181 notices required to be generated, 92,88,180 had been generated and 90,26,993 delivered, leaving 2,61,191 pending delivery. 59,35,479 electors had been found eligible for final publication.

Meanwhile, a reported backlog of voter applications has added to concerns over the revision exercise, particularly in urban areas. Officials have been directed to strengthen helpdesks and hold special camps for vulnerable groups, including labourers, homeless persons and residents of night shelters.

With the claims and objections process nearing its deadline, the Election Commission has stressed that no voter should be deleted merely on the basis of an unverified Form 7 objection.