Telangana Congress alleges 'vote theft', stresses vigilance for polls

Telangana Congress leaders alleged 'vote theft' in recent polls and stressed the need for vigilance during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The party has called for transparency in the SIR process announced by the ECI.

Congress leaders on Friday alleged "vote theft" in recent elections and stressed the need for vigilance during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as the Telangana Congress Political Affairs Committee met in the city.

Senior Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao said the PAC meeting focused on the SIR process and cited alleged irregularities in other states. "A meeting was held on the SIR. Vote theft happened in Haryana and Maharashtra. They defeated us in West Bengal, too. Vote theft is going on," Rao told ANI.

Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdhury said the committee had an intensive discussion on implementing the SIR and strengthening the party at the grassroots level. She also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent visit to Telangana. "There was an intensive discussion on how to implement the SIR and the needs that are required and what we need to do to strengthen the party at the grassroot level. PM Modi came here and was acting smart. Telangana will remain Congress for the rest of our lives. I am Mamata Banerjee's fan. I have great admiration for her fight," Chowdhury said.

The PAC meeting comes amid Congress's concerns over the SIR exercise Telangana Congress has called for the SIR process to be conducted with "transparency". A delegation of state Congress leaders met with the State Chief Electoral Officer over the issue earlier, urging that the SIR process be conducted with complete transparency and be extended for a period of time since no major elections are scheduled in the state.

ECI Announces Special Intensive Revision

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on May 14 announced the conduct of Special Intensive Revision Phase-III of electoral rolls across 16 States and three Union Territories, covering over 36 crore electors in a phased manner, including Telagana.

According to the press note issued by the Commission, the exercise has been planned in coordination with the ongoing house listing component of the Census to ensure optimal use of field machinery.

SIR Schedule for Telangana and Punjab

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) schedule has been outlined for multiple States and Union Territories with clearly defined timelines for each stage of the electoral roll process. For Telangana and Punjab, the qualifying date is October 1, 2026. The preparation phase will be conducted from June 15, 2026, to June 24, 2026, followed by BLO visits from June 25, 2026, to July 24, 2026. Rationalisation will be completed by July 24, 2026. The draft roll will be published on July 31, 2026, with claims and objections open from July 31, 2026, to August 30, 2026. The notice phase and disposal will continue from July 31, 2026, to September 28, 2026, and the final roll will be published on October 1, 2026. (ANI)

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