No link between SIR and welfare schemes: CEO

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is solely aimed at preparing an accurate and error-free voters’ list and has no connection with any government welfare schemes, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) C. Sudharshan Reddy said on Wednesday.

Reviewing the progress of the SIR exercise with District Election Officers (DEOs) and District Collectors through a video conference, the CEO said only five days remained for the submission of Enumeration Forms and directed all districts to complete 100% digitisation by August 3. He said 76% of the digitisation process had been completed across the State, with rural areas achieving 90%.

Mr. Reddy commended officials in the Khanapur, Balkonda, Yellareddy, Huzurnagar, Narsampet, Wardhannapet, Parkal and Boath Assembly constituencies for achieving 100% digitisation. He, however, asked District Election Officers to focus on urban areas, including Serilingampally, Ranga Reddy, Medchal, GHMC, Nizamabad, Warangal and Khammam, to ensure the work is completed within the stipulated timeframe.

The CEO instructed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Supervisors to exercise utmost care while uploading voter details from Enumeration Forms to ensure accuracy. Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) were asked to closely monitor the process and eliminate errors. He warned that disciplinary action would be taken against BLOs and Supervisors found negligent in the digitisation process.

Mr. Reddy also directed officials to expedite the rationalisation of polling stations in line with the Election Commission of India guidelines so that members of the same family are assigned to the same polling station. He instructed officials to obtain the signatures of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of all recognised political parties while preparing the lists of Absent, Shifted and Dead (ASD) voters. Meetings with political parties at the ERO, AERO and BLO levels should be videographed and properly documented, he said, while also directing officials to identify and map the electoral details of VIP and VVIP electors.

The review meeting was attended by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vasam Venkateswarlu, GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan, Deputy Election Officer Chari, PM (IT) Chiranjeevi and other senior officials.