HYDERABAD: Voters face hurdles at SIR hearings
HYDERABAD: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has run into difficulties in Hyderabad, with voters raising concerns over the issuing of notices and the hearing process. The complaints come amid objections to the large-scale deletion of names from electoral rolls.
Enumerators issuing notices to voters on the anomalies and no-mapping lists are reportedly not providing clear guidance on the documents that need to be submitted. This has left several voters confused about the process.
Though officials said hearings would be held at locations close to voters, the situation on the ground is different. Many voters are being asked to travel three to four times to hearing centres to complete the process.
Voters asked to travel several kilometres for hearings
Voters in some areas are being asked to travel four to five km, and in some cases more, from their homes to hearing centres. This has created difficulties for those in daily-wage jobs and other employment.
Taking elderly people to centres located several kilometres away has also proved difficult for families.
The district has to issue notices to 12.54 lakh voters. The process was originally scheduled to begin on the 17th, but notices were issued a week later. Enumerators have been visiting homes to serve the notices.
Wrong documents send voters back to centres
Many voters who received notices are bringing Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks, educational certificates, pension identity cards and identity cards issued by government or public sector organisations.
However, some voters are being sent back after staff tell them that the documents they brought are not acceptable. As a result, they have to visit the centres two or three times.
The notices mention the date, time and location of the hearing. In some cases, voters are being asked to travel five to six km from their homes.
For instance, a voter living in Pratap Nagar, Panjagutta, was asked to attend a hearing at the community hall in Indiranagar, Yousufguda, about four km away. A voter from Bapu Nagar in Amberpet was asked to travel six km to a hearing centre.
Voters also have to wait for hours at the centres. The facilities are inadequate, with shortages of chairs, toilets and drinking water.
