Hyderabad voter roll revision leaves residents confused
HYDERABAD: Distribution of Enumeration Forms (ENUs) as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls has triggered widespread confusion among residents in Hyderabad and adjoining districts. The process has exposed several flaws in the voter list, with many households receiving incomplete documentation.
Many families receive only one enumeration form
In several colonies and slum areas, only one spouse has received an enumeration form while the other has not. Many residents are also struggling with the requirement to provide details of their 2002 voter identity card. Those who do not possess the old card are unsure how to obtain the required information.
Booth Level Officers (BLOs), instead of conducting door-to-door visits, are reportedly asking voters to collect forms from local polling stations.
Requirement for 2002 voter card details raises concerns
The enumeration form requires applicants to furnish details of their 2002 voter identity card. If a person was not registered as a voter in 2002, details of their parents’ voter card must be provided. Residents say they do not possess documents that are over two decades old and are questioning how they are expected to submit the information.
Many BLOs have reportedly told voters that submitting forms without the required details could result in notices being issued. However, residents argue that it is the responsibility of election officials to verify whether a person’s name existed in the 2002 electoral rolls and complete the mapping process accordingly.
BLOs struggle with field work
Many BLOs are facing logistical challenges. For example, a BLO identified as Ramu, an employee in the UBD division under Ameenpur Circle, has been assigned to Polling Booth No. 87 in Gopinagar under Serilingampally Circle, nearly 10 km away from his workplace. Unfamiliar with the locality, he has been distributing enumeration forms from near the Anjaneya Swamy Temple instead of conducting door-to-door visits. Similar difficulties are being reported by several BLOs.
Meanwhile, local leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, along with Booth Level Agents (BLAs), have been assisting in the distribution of forms in areas such as Jawahar Nagar in Yusufguda.
Distribution gains pace after official review
The Election Commission had fixed July 3 as the deadline for distributing enumeration forms, with collection scheduled to begin the following day. However, only about 50 per cent of the distribution had been completed by the deadline.
District election officials, Returning Officers, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) held review meetings on Saturday, after which the process accelerated. By evening, distribution across Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts had reached around 61 per cent.
According to official figures, distribution stood at about 62.73 per cent in Rangareddy district, 73.65 per cent in Medchal-Malkajgiri district and 55.63 per cent in Hyderabad district.
Complaints over distribution and technical issues
Residents have raised several concerns during the exercise:
- Although nearly 70 per cent of voter cards are linked to mobile numbers, BLOs are allegedly not contacting voters by phone and are instead reporting that addresses cannot be traced.
- In some divisions, local political workers have alleged that enumeration forms are being distributed selectively to supporters of particular parties.
- Technical problems while scanning the QR code on enumeration forms have reportedly delayed distribution.
- In some areas, help desks lacked staff, leaving voters without guidance on how to fill out the forms.
- Several political parties have set up assistance desks to help voters complete the documentation.
Incidents reported during the exercise
In Hyderabad, members of the same household are often registered at different polling booths, making distribution more difficult.
In Old Malakpet, a Booth Level Agent allegedly assaulted a BLO attached to Polling Booth No. 218, accusing him of discrimination during distribution. The BLO reportedly suffered a fractured arm. The issue was later settled before reaching higher authorities.
Residents in Yakutpura also complained that the absence of staff at help desks made it difficult to understand how to complete the forms.
