Telangana BJP Urges CEO to Probe Alleged Voter Intimidation During Electoral Roll Revision

Hyderabad, July 2026 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana on Monday urged the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to intervene over what it described as incidents of intimidation, threats and unlawful interference during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Chevella parliamentary constituencies.

A BJP delegation led by Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao met Chief Electoral Officer Sudhershan Reddy and submitted a detailed representation, alleging that the voter verification exercise in several parts of Hyderabad was being influenced through coercion and misinformation.

The delegation requested the CEO to appoint senior officers from outside Telangana as electoral roll observers for Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy districts to ensure that the revision process remains transparent, impartial and free from political interference.

According to the BJP, reports have emerged from various localities, particularly within the Hyderabad parliamentary constituency, alleging that workers and leaders of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the ruling Congress were intimidating certain categories of voters during the enumeration process. The party claimed that these actions were creating fear among residents and could adversely affect the integrity of the electoral roll revision.

In its representation, the BJP alleged that migrants from different parts of India who have been legally residing in Hyderabad and exercising their voting rights for several years were being specifically targeted. According to the party, some of these voters were allegedly being told that they were no longer eligible to remain on Telangana’s electoral rolls and were being pressured to shift their voter registration back to their native states.

The BJP argued that if such practices continue unchecked, they would undermine the democratic process and violate the constitutional rights of eligible citizens to be enrolled as voters and participate freely in elections without intimidation, coercion or discrimination.

The delegation also raised concerns over statements allegedly made by leaders of the ruling Congress government, including Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. The BJP claimed that certain public remarks suggested people should register as voters in their native villages or rural constituencies, failing which they could lose access to benefits provided under various state and Central government welfare schemes.

The party said such claims were misleading and cited a clarification issued by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who had reportedly stated that there is no requirement for citizens to possess or produce a voter identity card to avail themselves of government welfare benefits. The BJP requested the Chief Electoral Officer to issue an official public clarification through the media to dispel confusion and prevent misinformation from spreading among voters.

Seeking immediate intervention, the BJP demanded a comprehensive inquiry into all allegations of intimidation, coercion and unlawful interference in the electoral roll revision process. The party urged the Election Commission to ensure that every eligible voter is able to participate in the enumeration exercise without external pressure or political influence.

The delegation further requested the CEO to direct the concerned District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and law enforcement agencies to investigate complaints thoroughly and initiate stringent action against individuals found violating election laws or attempting to influence the voter registration process through threats or misinformation.

Additionally, the BJP called for the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in identified sensitive localities to maintain law and order and provide confidence to voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise.

The party maintained that free and fair electoral roll preparation is the foundation of democratic elections and urged the Election Commission to take proactive steps to ensure that the revision process remains transparent, impartial and fully compliant with constitutional and electoral provisions.