Congress Flags Voter Purge Risk in Telangana’s Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

The ruling Congress party has warned that Telangana’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) could lead to a large‑scale deletion of voters, similar to controversies in West Bengal and Assam. Key Developments Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy raised the issue in a Zoom meeting, citing a possible 21% reduction in the voter list. The Congress was criticised for a “lackadaisical” approach and for not deploying enough Booth Level Agents during verification. The Chief Electoral Officer reports that 78.3% of forms are digitised, while 21.7% are marked “uncollectable”. Nearly 94 lakh entries are flagged for scrutiny, including deceased, absent, permanently shifted, and other categories. The party plans to mobilise volunteers for the upcoming claims and objections phase. Important Facts Telangana’s total electorate stands at 3,38,26,448 . Of these, 2,64,86,214 forms have been digitised. The “uncollectable” category comprises: 9,22,230 deceased voters 11,25,546 marked absent or untraceable 45,18,961 listed as permanently shifted 6,70,203 enrolled elsewhere 1,02,294 under other headings These figures translate to roughly 94 lakh electors who may face deletion. UPSC Relevance Understanding the SIR process helps answer questions on electoral reforms and the functioning of the Election Commission. The role of Booth Level Agents illustrates ground‑level implementation of democratic institutions. Data on “ uncollectable ” voters highlights challenges in maintaining accurate citizen registers, a topic in GS2. The claims and objections phase is a procedural safeguard, relevant for questions on electoral dispute resolution. The concept of “ dual voter imbalance” sheds light on migration‑driven electoral dynamics. Way Forward The Congress aims to identify vulnerable voters and assist them in filing objections before the final roll is published. Strengthening the deployment of Booth Level Agents and ensuring door‑to‑door verification could reduce “uncollectable” entries. For UPSC aspirants, tracking how states manage roll‑cleaning exercises offers insight into the balance between administrative efficiency and safeguarding democratic rights.