Telangana EROs Face Task of Verifying 94 Lakh Voters in 60 Days After SIR Errors

Electoral Registration Officers across Telangana face the daunting task of conducting verification hearings for nearly 94 lakh voters within a 60-day window following the publication of draft electoral rolls on August 17, 2026. The massive caseload comes after widespread errors and omissions occurred during the Enumeration Phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls.

Out of the nearly 94 lakh cases requiring verification, more than 32 lakh electors were classified as unmapped. These voters did not fill in required details from the final electoral rolls of the 2002 SIR in the first section of the form, or left out their parents' 2002 details in the second section. In addition, officials discovered a total of 61.4 lakh logical discrepancies and anomalies in the forms submitted at the end of the enumeration period.

The surge in errors followed a breakdown in the planned door-to-door enumeration process. While electoral officials initially mandated that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visit each household at least three times to distribute, explain, and collect forms, these visits did not occur in many localities. Instead, BLOs frequently operated from central locations due to unfeasible targets, shifting the responsibility to electors to return the forms and leading to twice-extended deadlines.

Many voters, unfamiliar with the format, filled in current Electoral Photo Identity Card details in place of the 2002 SIR information, leaving Polling Station and Part Numbers blank.

Under directions from the Election Commission of India, all affected electors must be served notices to attend hearings before their respective EROs. The notice and hearing window is scheduled from August 17, 2026, to October 15, 2026.

With 119 EROs holding quasi-judicial powers to adjudicate the 94 lakh cases, officials will have mere seconds per elector within normal working hours over the 60-day period. Alongside these hearings, EROs and Assistant EROs must also settle claims and objections and process fresh applications from individuals deleted from the rolls.