Karnan warns against filing deceased voters’ forms
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad District Election Officer and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner R.V. Karnan warned that criminal cases would be registered if family members signed and submitted enumeration forms on behalf of deceased voters.
Addressing a press conference with Additional Commissioners Badavath Santosh and Chandrakala, Karnan said forms relating to deceased voters must not be mapped under any circumstances. He said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process would conclude on August 3 and the same day would be the deadline for digitisation. Voters were urged to submit their forms before the deadline.
Contact officials if forms are not received
Karnan said voters whose names appear in the electoral roll but who have not yet received enumeration forms should contact their Booth Level Officer (BLO), Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), or call the voter helpline at 1950.
He said notices would be issued to voters whose names appear in the draft electoral roll but whose records have not been mapped or contain mapping errors. Eligible voters who submit valid documents will have their names included in the final electoral roll based on the ERO’s decision.
Karnan said some voters with registrations in more than one place were choosing to complete the enumeration process in their native towns instead of Hyderabad, while others no longer reside at their registered addresses.
He added that the rationalisation of polling stations would be completed by August 3. Polling stations with more than 1,200 voters would be split into two.
Hyderabad digitises over half of enumeration forms
Karnan said 53.33% of enumeration forms in Hyderabad district had been digitised so far.
According to data available up to 12 noon on July 28, the district has 47,36,669 registered voters. Enumeration forms have been distributed to all voters. Of these, 4,81,744 voters (10.17%) submitted forms online, while 25,26,014 forms (53.33%) have already been digitised.
He said 22,10,655 forms still remain to be digitised before the August 3 deadline and urged voters not to wait until the last day.
He also announced that special help desks had been established at the Electoral Registration Officer offices in all 15 Assembly constituencies to assist voters.
Political parties urged to appoint booth agents
Karnan said Hyderabad district has 4,062 polling stations.
According to him:
- Congress has appointed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) at 3,601 polling stations (88.65%).
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed BLAs at 3,044 polling stations (74.94%).
- All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has appointed BLAs at 2,519 polling stations (62.01%).
- Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has appointed BLAs at 2,212 polling stations (54.46%).
He urged parties with fewer appointments to nominate BLAs for all polling stations and said they should assist voters in filling out enumeration forms. A BLA may submit up to 30 forms to a BLO in a day.
Karnan said awareness campaigns were being conducted through auto-rickshaw announcements, newspapers, television, radio, social media, banners, posters, hoardings and meetings with Resident Welfare Associations.
LRS deadline may be extended
Karnan said the deadline for the Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) may be extended beyond July 31.
He said scrutiny of LRS applications had slowed because town planning staff were engaged in SIR duties. The urban local bodies have reportedly requested the State government to extend the deadline.
