Trinet News | August 18, 2026 | By Peri Nageswara Rao
A crucial milestone has been reached in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Telangana, with the release of the draft voter list on August 17. Starting August 18, it has become vital for voters across the state to verify their names, addresses, and polling stations. This revision stands as one of the most important electoral roll verification exercises undertaken in Telangana over the past 24 years.
Officials conducted house-to-house visits to collect voter details, cross-check them with previous records, and identify discrepancies such as multiple registrations for a single person, the continuation of deceased persons' names, or voters who have shifted residences but remain listed in their old areas.
Over 73 Lakh Names Omitted from Draft
During this process, it was identified that registration documents for a total of 73,39,234 voters were either unavailable or could not be collected, accounting for approximately 21.70 percent of the total voters. These names have not been included in the current draft electoral roll. However, the absence of a name in the draft does not mean the vote is permanently deleted; affected individuals will have the opportunity to submit applications and objections to reclaim their voting rights.
Names identified as suspicious due to reasons such as absence, relocation, death, or multiple registrations have been placed in a special list. This list is categorized by voters identified as absent, relocated, deceased, or duplicate.
Voters Must Verify Details
Following the release of the draft list, every voter must check whether their name is included. Along with the name, details such as age, address, constituency, and polling station should also be verified. In particular, those who have moved from one area to another in the past should check whether their current address is correctly registered.
If a name does not appear in the draft list, voters should not panic but immediately contact election officials or the respective Booth Level Officer (BLO) to know the reason. Applications or objections can be submitted following the prescribed procedure along with necessary documents.
Notices to 92 Lakh People
Reports indicate that a process is underway to send notices to approximately 92 million (92 lakh) voters who have certain anomalies or data-matching issues in the electoral roll. The purpose of these notices is not to remove eligible voters, but to verify their details and make the list more accurate.
The right to vote is a most valuable constitutional right in a democracy. Therefore, the election machinery, political parties, and the public share the responsibility of ensuring that not a single eligible voter's name is unnecessarily removed from the list.
Alertness Among Political Parties
The SIR process has brought the voter list issue to the forefront of Telangana politics. Leaders of both ruling and opposition parties are instructing their cadres to verify voter details at their respective levels. Political parties are urging that eligible voters' names should not be removed and that objections against ineligible names should be raised according to election rules.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has also advised party ranks to remain vigilant regarding the electoral roll. He emphasized the need to protect the rights of eligible voters while ensuring the list remains transparent.
Opportunity Open Until Final List
The release of the draft list does not mark the end of the process. The final electoral roll will be published after receiving and reviewing objections and claims on the draft. Therefore, even if a name is currently missing from the draft, affected voters should utilize available opportunities to exercise their rights.
The main objective of the SIR is to ensure that every eligible citizen's name is on the voter list and to correct ineligible or wrongly registered names. Public cooperation is essential in this process. Therefore, the people of Telangana should not neglect this and must personally verify their voting details. If a name is missing, they should find out the reason and apply accordingly. Having one's name in the voter list before election day is of utmost importance. Voting rights are the strength of our democracy, and knowing whether one's name is on the list is the responsibility of every voter.
