Assembly debate over voter list revision turns heated between MIM and BJP

A heated exchange broke out in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Tuesday between the MIM and BJP over the Election Commission’s (EC) special revision of electoral rolls (SR). MIM alleged that the process lacked transparency, while the BJP insisted it was aimed solely at removing fraudulent votes.

The discussion came during a debate on Telangana municipal revision bills, where the use of voter lists prepared by the State Election Commission was also mentioned. MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said the EC had proposed implementing the third phase of the SR process in Telangana and several other states.

Owaisi highlighted concerns raised by opposition parties, civil rights activists, and sections of the secular Muslim community, calling the process rushed and unclear. He warned that genuine voters - particularly Muslims - risked losing their right to vote. He cited reports from Bihar, where a large number of names were removed, and West Bengal, where around 5.8 million names were reportedly deleted from draft voter lists. “This is a serious issue and a threat to democracy,” he said.

Owaisi also emphasized that India is home to people of various religions, and no individual or party has the authority to decide who is patriotic. He noted that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also expressed concerns about the SR, warning it could be implemented in a manner similar to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Calling for immediate government intervention, MIM demanded a meeting with all parties to discuss SR implementation in Telangana. Owaisi clarified that his party was not against updating voter lists, but insisted that no eligible voter should lose their right to vote. He pointed out that in Bihar, not a single Muslim name was identified as belonging to Bangladesh, Pakistan, or any other country, and criticized political campaigns spreading communal hatred using Hindu and Muslim names.

Responding to the allegations, BJP floor leader A. Maheshwar Reddy said it was inappropriate to bring up Bihar or Uttar Pradesh during a Telangana-focused debate. He emphasized that the SR process is meant only to remove fraudulent votes and is not connected to religion. He questioned why the discussion was being framed as a Hindu-Muslim issue.

Assembly Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu assured that the government had noted the concerns of both MIM and BJP members and would respond comprehensively. He stated that under Election Commission rules, no eligible voter would be removed from the state voter lists. He added that Rahul Gandhi is advocating for every qualified voter to exercise their right to vote, regardless of religion.