SIR Exercise in Telangana Soon, Says Chief Election Commissioner

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced that Telangana would soon be covered under the next phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, expressing confidence that the state would emerge as a role model for the country. Addressing booth-level officers (BLOs), he said the recently completed SIR exercise in Bihar should serve as a benchmark.

Describing BLOs as the backbone of India’s electoral system, the CEC said voter list purification depended entirely on their dedication. He praised the Bihar exercise, noting that nearly 7.5 crore voters participated in the Assembly elections without a single complaint, recount, or repoll.

The CEC highlighted the scale of Indian democracy, with over 90 crore voters across 28 states and eight Union Territories. He said India’s election process had earned global recognition, adding that the Election Commission had become chairman of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance after three decades of membership.

Commenting on voter turnout, he observed that urban apathy was the main reason for low participation in cities, while rural voters continued to set an example by voting enthusiastically.

State Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudarshan Reddy shared Telangana’s electoral statistics, while senior officials, including Additional CEO Vasam Venkateswara Reddy, also attended the meeting.