Telangana: New voters cry foul over vague’ rejections’, officials cite lapses

Hyderabad: As Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana gathers pace, several Hyderabad residents who never enrolled as voters despite being well past the eligible age say they have encountered an unexpected hurdle: their first-time voter registration applications have been rejected over what they describe as “vague technical reasons.

”Unlike first-time voters who have recently turned 18, these applicants are middle-aged residents who, for various personal reasons, had never applied for an Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC). Hoping to avoid complications during the ongoing SIR exercise, many recently submitted fresh applications through Form 6 to get themselves enrolled in the electoral rolls. However, several applicants say their submissions were rejected with brief remarks such as “photo not good”, “signature not available” or “document not attached”, leaving them confused about what exactly was missing.“I uploaded every document that was asked for and ensured all details were correct. Yet my application was rejected with a one-line remark saying the photo was not good. There was no explanation about what was wrong with it or whether I could correct it without starting the process all over again,” said Syed Bhaktyar, 48, a Hyderabad resident whose application was recently rejected.A 45-year-old woman from Road No 14, Banjara Hills, who also applied for a voter ID for the first time, said she was surprised to receive a rejection despite carefully submitting all required documents.

“The portal simply mentioned that documents were not available. I had uploaded every document listed in the application. If something was missing or unclear, the authorities should specify what exactly needs to be corrected instead of giving generic remarks,” she said.Election officials, however, maintained that applications are rejected only after scrutiny and only when genuine deficiencies are noticed. N Shankar, ERO, Khairtabad, said poor-quality photographs, missing or unclear supporting documents, unsigned declaration forms or incomplete submissions are among the most common reasons for rejection. “Every application is verified as per the Election Commission’s guidelines. If a photograph is blurred, does not meet the required specifications, or if mandatory documents are missing or not legible, the application cannot be approved.

Applicants should ensure that all documents are uploaded clearly and that every required field is completed before submission,” he said.Officials clarified that applicants whose requests have been rejected need not worry, as they can submit a fresh application after rectifying the deficiencies. They advised applicants to carefully verify their photographs, signatures, age proof and address proof before reapplying to avoid further delays.The issue has surfaced at a time when the Election Commission has intensified the SIR across Telangana, prompting many residents who had remained outside the electoral rolls for years to finally register themselves as voters. While officials insist the scrutiny process is essential to maintain the accuracy of electoral rolls, applicants say clearer rejection remarks and better guidance would make the registration process more transparent and user-friendly.