1 hr ago
Hyderabad SIR hearings see low voter turnout amid document concerns
Officials in Hyderabad are checking voter lists through a process called SIR.
Many voters were asked to attend hearings because their details needed checking.
So far, only about 22% of the people given notices have come.
Officials say some voters are finding it difficult to collect the required documents.
Sanathnagar has had the weakest response, with only 4% attending.
Karwan has had the largest number of people attend.
Some voters have also been offered a second hearing.
The district election officer has asked everyone who received a notice to attend with the needed papers.
Only about 22% of Hyderabad voters issued SIR notices have attended verification hearings.
Authorities flagged 582,217 electors for No Mapping and identified 672,700 anomaly cases.
Sanathnagar recorded the lowest response, with just 4% attending hearings.
Karwan had the highest attendance, followed by Yakutpura and Jubilee Hills.
Officials said voters must bring required documents to protect their names on electoral rolls.
- Who
- Hyderabad voters issued SIR notices and district election officials conducting the hearings.
- What
- Authorities are verifying voter details in cases flagged as No Mapping or anomalies.
- Where
- Hyderabad district, Telangana, including constituencies such as Sanathnagar, Bahadurpura, Karwan, Yakutpura and Jubilee Hills.
- When
- The hearings are ongoing after the verification deadline was rescheduled; the articles do not specify exact dates.
- Why
- The hearings are intended to verify voter eligibility and allow electors to submit supporting documents to safeguard their names on the electoral rolls.
Voter concerns
Officials' position
Document requirements
Voter concerns
Voters may be discouraged because the verification process requires three or four categories of supporting documents, which can be difficult to obtain or produce.
Officials' position
Officials say the Election Commission has prescribed 12 document requirements based on an elector's date of birth, including documents for the elector and, where applicable, the parents.
Responding to notices
Voter concerns
Attendance has remained low, and some voters have not responded even after receiving another opportunity for a hearing.
Officials' position
The district election officer urged all voters who received notices not to ignore them and to attend with the necessary documents to protect their names on the electoral rolls.
Key facts
- No Mapping cases
- 582,217 electors were flagged.
- Anomaly cases
- 672,700 cases were identified.
- Total notices
- Notices were generated for 1,254,917 cases.
- Overall attendance
- About 22% of voters issued notices have attended hearings.
- Lowest response
- Sanathnagar had 4% attendance, despite notices going to 73,917 of its 75,835 voters.
- Highest attendance
- Karwan recorded more than 30,500 attendees.
- Second hearings
- Nearly 15% of voters were given an opportunity to attend a second hearing.
Quotes
RV Karnan
Hyderabad District Election Officer
“The Election Commission has prescribed 12 different document requirements depending on the elector’s date of birth, including documents relating to the elector and, where applicable, parents.”
thehansindia.com









