500 Retired Singareni Workers Risk Losing Voting Rights Over Decades-Old Alias Names

In Hyderabad, retired workers of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) are facing the risk of losing their voting rights during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The crisis stems from name discrepancies between their voter identity cards and Aadhaar cards, a legacy of employment shortcuts taken decades ago.

At least 500 retired coal mine workers and their families are currently unable to complete the SIR process. Officials warn this could potentially lead to the exclusion of thousands of voters from the final electoral roll.

The issue dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, when the practice of "maru peru" (alias names) was widespread within SCCL. During this period, many workers from rural villages assumed the identities, names, and sometimes even the castes of former employees who had left their jobs. This allowed them to secure employment without possessing the required qualifications, and they subsequently drew salaries under these assumed names.

Decades later, this practice has created severe documentation mismatches for the retirees, their spouses, and their children.

D Kumar, a resident of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, explained that his father adopted a new surname when he joined SCCL in 1985. While his mother's Aadhaar card carries her original name and is linked to her property documents, her voter ID bears the adopted surname, preventing her from completing the verification.

Similarly, Laka Shravan Goud, whose father recently retired from the company, noted that his parents hold voter IDs and PAN cards under their official Singareni names, but their Aadhaar cards show their original names. He expressed concern that the next generation might also lose their voting rights due to these mismatched records.

Affected families are now appealing to the government for leniency, arguing that the practice was used to meet the company's manpower requirements at the time.

Addressing the issue, D Madhu, the electoral registration officer for Kothagudem constituency, stated that authorities are aware of the "maru peru" situation and will handle it sensitively. He urged affected residents to submit their enumeration forms.

Madhu clarified that if mismatches in names, surnames, or fathers' names are identified, the department will issue notices and conduct physical verifications. Voters who can establish their identity and prove their alias using prescribed documents will have their names retained in the electoral rolls.