Owaisi flags concerns over 'complex' Telangana electoral roll revision

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi warns Telangana's electoral roll revision is complex and threatens citizens. He criticised the shift to manual forms, documentation hurdles, and warned that exclusion could lead to questions about citizenship status.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday expressed deep concern regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana. Speaking in Hyderabad, Owaisi highlighted significant administrative hurdles and potential risks for voters, characterising the process as unnecessarily complex and potentially threatening to citizens' status.

Criticism of Revised Procedure

Owaisi criticised the shift in the Election Commission of India's (ECI) procedure. He noted that the initial plan to provide pre-printed forms for voters to simply verify and sign has been replaced by a system requiring voters to manually fill out enumeration forms. "Earlier, we were told that a pre-printed form would be given by the BLOs to the elector and the elector will have to just check, sign with a photograph and give it back. But now two enumeration forms would be given based on the latest voter list, and the elector will have to write down the voter list details," he said.

To mitigate the risk of errors and mass exclusion, Owaisi reiterated his party's request for the ECI to share its pre-SIR mapping data with Booth Level Agents (BLAs). He argued that such collaboration would allow BLAs to assist Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and ensure the forms are filled out correctly. "We have requested that the pre-mapping exercise that the ECI has done, please share it with the BLAs, so that the BLA, along with the BLO, will help the elector in writing down that form, and there will be no mistake, because remember, only two enumeration forms are given," he said.

The remarks come as the SIR exercise in Telangana begins today, as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conduct door-to-door visits to distribute Enumeration Forms. With the publication of draft rolls scheduled for July 31, the claims and objections period will go on from July 31 to August 30, and the final electoral rolls will be published on October 1.

Documentation Hurdles Highlighted

The Hyderabad MP pointed out several critical gaps in the documentation requirements set by the ECI: Out of the 12 prescribed documents, Owaisi asserted that three are effectively unavailable in Telangana: the family register, the permanent residence certificate, and NRC-related records. He emphasised that Aadhaar is not accepted by the ECI as a standalone document, further complicating the verification process for many residents.

Voters whose names--or those of their parents or grandparents--do not appear in the 2002 electoral rolls are facing significant challenges, as they are now required to produce alternative documentation that may be difficult to obtain. "In 2002, the voter list was done manually by the ECI. And out of the 12 documents which the ECI has prescribed, four are not available in Telangana. One is that the family register is not given, no permanent residence certificate is given, an NRC has not been done in Telangana, and Aadhaar is not acceptable on its own as a document. So we are left with only eight documents. Can you imagine the trouble which the voters are facing right now? If anyone's name is not there in the 2002 voters list, his name is not there, his parents' name is not there, his maternal, paternal, and grandparent names are not there, he will have to make these documents," he said.

Warning of Citizenship Implications

Perhaps most alarmingly, the AIMIM Chief warned of the broader implications for those who fail to get their names included in the final electoral rolls. He pointed to Supreme Court precedents that mandate the forwarding of such names to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which he warned could cast a shadow over an individual's citizenship status.

While acknowledging the support of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in increasing the number of MeeSeva centres to help citizens manage their documentation, Owaisi maintained that the current SIR process remains fraught with difficulty for the average voter. His party continues to assist thousands of individuals in mapping their 2002 details in an effort to ensure that no legitimate voter is left out of the final list. "I'm thankful to CM Revanth Reddy that he accepted our proposal of having more MeeSeva centres in Telangana, but still, the AIMIM party from the last two months have helped thousands and lakhs of people in ensuring that we give them the details of their names from 2002, we have helped them in mapping. But documents are going to be difficult, and please remember that if your name does not come in the final SIR, according to the Supreme Court judgment, the ECI will have to forward those names to the competent authority, which in this case would be MHA. So there will be a question mark raised about your citizenship," he said.

Government Clarifies Passport's Role

Meanwhile, the central government on Thursday clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship, adding that no such decision was taken either recently or in the last 12 years. The clarification referenced Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967, which provides for the issuance of passports to non-citizens.

"Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions relating to issue of a passport or travel document, the Central Government may issue, or cause to be issued, a passport or travel document to a person who is not a citizen of India if that Government is of the opinion that it is necessary so to do in the public interest," Section 20 of the Act states.

The government also pointed to judgments of the Bombay High Court from 2013 that had made it clear that possession of a passport does not establish citizenship. (ANI)

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