SIR Is Not for Deleting Votes, Says Telangana BJP Chief Ramachander Rao

Telangana BJP president N. Ramachander Rao has dismissed the Congress campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that the exercise is a routine administrative process aimed at updating voter lists and not at deleting votes.

Speaking to ANI, Rao accused the Congress of spreading misinformation and creating unnecessary apprehension among voters over the SIR exercise. He said the revision is intended to add eligible new voters and remove the names of deceased persons and duplicate voters from electoral rolls.

Rao said the nationwide SIR exercise is being conducted in 2026 after a gap of 24 years, with the previous exercise carried out in 2002. He pointed out that similar revisions were conducted even when the Congress was in power. Citing Kerala, where the SIR process has already been completed, he said the Congress went on to win the election in the State, questioning the party’s claim that the exercise was designed to selectively remove voters.

The BJP leader said electoral roll revision was necessary to maintain accurate and credible voter lists. He accused the Congress of pushing what he described as a false narrative out of frustration after remaining out of power for 12.5 years.

Rao also criticised both the BRS and Congress, claiming Telangana voters had become disillusioned with the two parties. He alleged that the previous BRS government primarily benefited the KCR family, while the present Congress government was benefiting what he termed “Revanth Reddy and brothers”. He further accused the Congress of turning Telangana into an “ATM” for its political activities in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stressed that voters should be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard before their names are removed from electoral rolls.

Speaking at the valedictory programme of the 19th NALSAR B.R. Ambedkar Moot Court Competition in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan said inclusion in electoral rolls and the right to vote were essential to free and fair elections.

Except in cases involving deceased persons, he said, a voter’s name should not be removed without notice and an opportunity for a hearing. He observed that any process that could disenfranchise lakhs of citizens may conflict with Articles 326 and 14 of the Constitution, potentially reducing citizens to “second-class citizens” in their own country.