BJP Claims Opposition Fears Loss of Bogus Votes in Hyderabad Electoral Revision
The BJP has accused Congress, BRS, and MIM of opposing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Hyderabad out of fear. The party claims the ECI-led process is transparent and essential to eliminate fake votes, despite opposition allegations of political bias.
Highlights
- •BJP leader N. Ramchander Rao accuses Congress, BRS, and MIM of opposing electoral roll updates due to fear of losing fake votes.
- •The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is clarified as a routine ECI constitutional exercise, not a new government-led initiative.
- •Allegations were made regarding illegal migrants obtaining fake identity cards to register as voters in Hyderabad's Old City.
- •The BJP is encouraging citizens to participate in the revision process to help remove ineligible and duplicate names from the rolls.
The BJP has launched a strong critique against rival political organizations in Hyderabad, accusing them of orchestrating a campaign against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao claimed that parties like Congress, BRS, and MIM are fearful because they anticipate the loss of what he described as “bogus votes.”
According to Rao, the SIR is a standard, constitutionally required procedure managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). This continuous effort aims to facilitate the registration of new voters, remove names of deceased individuals, and update address information. He emphasized that this initiative is a long-standing practice and not a program created by the current central administration.
Addressing Allegations of Electoral Manipulation
During a press briefing, Rao defended the Special Intensive Revision process against claims that it might influence election outcomes unfairly. He questioned the opposition's sudden objections, noting that similar revisions were conducted routinely during previous governments between 1951 and 2002. Furthermore, he highlighted precedents in states like Kerala to argue for the legitimacy of the current exercise.
Rao further alleged that illegal migrants—specifically mentioning individuals from countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Rohingya community—have managed to acquire fraudulent identification documents, such as Aadhaar and ration cards. He alleged that these actions were facilitated by certain local political entities to inflate voter rolls, claiming that as many as 200 invalid votes have been identified within single residences in the Old City area of Hyderabad.
Calls for Transparency and Civic Participation
To ensure the integrity of the voting process, the BJP leader asserted that the SIR is inherently transparent, involving booth-level agents from all registered political parties alongside state-appointed officials. He dismissed criticism regarding the exercise, framing the opposition's stance as a reaction born out of a fear of electoral defeat.
The BJP official also challenged the credibility of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy regarding issues of electoral fraud. He drew parallels to historical controversies surrounding the Congress party, including the 1975 Emergency, to argue that the opposition lacks the moral ground to question the current voter roll management. Rao urged the residents of Telangana to actively participate in the Special Intensive Revision, advising them to obtain the necessary forms from booth-level officers to help identify and remove any ineligible or duplicate entries from the electoral records.
