Irregular house numbers hamper voter enumeration in Maheshwaram and Hyderabad

On July 8, 2026, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conducting a voter enumeration drive in the Maheshwaram constituency and other parts of Hyderabad reported severe difficulties in locating thousands of voters. With less than three weeks remaining to complete the distribution and collection of enumeration forms, officers are racing against time due to irregular house numbering, address changes, and missing contact details.

The struggles on the ground stand in contrast to claims by the Telangana Chief Election Officer (CEO), who stated that 96.53 percent of the total voters across the state have already received their enumeration forms.

According to field officers, inconsistent house numbering has become a major hurdle. A BLO in the Maheshwaram constituency pointed out that the numbering system in many areas lacks logical sequence. For example, a house constructed in 2002 was assigned door number 1, while another house built much further away was allotted door number 2. As newer houses were built in the intervening space, they were given numbers like 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3, creating immense confusion for officers trying to find correct addresses.

Compounding the issue, many voter records lack mobile numbers, preventing BLOs from contacting residents beforehand. Officers noted that when they do manage to make contact, some voters insist that the forms must be delivered directly to their doorsteps, refusing to cooperate otherwise.

BLOs are also encountering issues where members of the same family are registered at different polling booths despite living in the same household. In one cited case, a family of four registered voters had three members assigned to a polling booth in Badangpet and one assigned to Nadergul. Officers reported that such discrepancies have triggered arguments with residents.

Additionally, some BLOs alleged that their supervisors are focusing heavily on meeting distribution targets rather than ensuring the forms are filled out accurately. Officers expressed concern that they have not received proper training on handling the SIR process and fear they will be held accountable for any anomalies if voters submit incorrect or incomplete information.