SIR in Telangana soon, to be role model for rest of country: CEC Gyanesh Kumar

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will shortly undertake the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said.

Speaking in Hyderabad, Kumar said the objective of the SIR is to ensure that only eligible voters remain on the electoral rolls. Emphasising the role of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), he said Telangana will soon demonstrate to the rest of the country how an extensive and transparent voter list revision should be conducted.

Addressing BLOs in Telangana, Kumar said the upcoming SIR in the state will follow the “historically successful” model adopted in Bihar.

He said officials must replicate the same standards of accuracy, transparency and commitment, adding that once the voter list purification process is completed, Telangana will enter a new era of election administration. He also said the state is geographically larger than several countries, including Canada.

Referring to the Bihar experience, the Chief Election Commissioner said the SIR there covers 7.5 crore voters without a single complaint. He said there are no demands for re-polling, re-counting or verification of VVPAT slips.

He said the SIR aims to clean electoral rolls by removing the names of deceased persons, migrants and duplicate voters, while ensuring that all eligible citizens are enrolled.

Mentioning the absence of demands for re-polling, re-counting or VVPAT verification, Kumar said this reflects the dedication and professionalism of BLOs and polling staff.

He said India’s election system involves more than 90 crore voters and around 12 lakh polling personnel, making it the world’s largest election management exercise.

Kumar said low voter turnout in cities continues to be driven by urban voter apathy, while rural voters consistently set an example by turning out in large numbers and standing in long queues to vote.

Highlighting India’s growing leadership role in global democratic processes, he said the Election Commission of India will provide leadership at the international level.

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