73.50 lakh Telangana voters face deletion in electoral roll revision
Synopsis
More than 73.50 lakh Telangana voters — nearly one in five on the rolls — risk deletion after failing to submit enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision. Hyderabad, the state capital, recorded the lowest digitisation rate at 58.89%, with 19.47 lakh of its own voters in the deletion zone. The final rolls land on 19 October, and the window to object is narrow.
Key Takeaways
73,52,832 voters in Telangana face deletion from electoral rolls after being categorised as Absent, Shifted, or Dead (ASD) under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) .
Out of 3,38,26,448 total registered voters, only 2,64,73,616 submitted enumeration forms by the 10 August deadline.
Hyderabad recorded the lowest digitisation rate in the state at 58.89% ; 19.47 lakh voters in the city face potential deletion.
Yadadri Bhongiri district led Telangana's 33 districts with a digitisation rate of 94.31% .
Draft rolls will be published on 17 August ; claims and objections can be filed until 16 September ; final rolls due 19 October .
In Andhra Pradesh , nearly 45 lakh voters were already deleted from the draft list published on 31 July .
Over 73.50 lakh voters in Telangana face the risk of being struck off the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), after the deadline for submitting enumeration forms closed on Monday, 10 August. The scale of potential deletions has raised fresh concerns about the integrity of voter lists ahead of future elections in the state.
Key Figures from the Status Report
According to the status report released by the Chief Electoral Officer on Monday evening, out of a total 3,38,26,448 registered voters, 2,64,73,616 successfully submitted their enumeration forms. The remaining 73,52,832 voters were categorised as Absent, Shifted, or Dead (ASD), and their enumeration forms were reported as uncollectible — making them liable for deletion from the rolls.
Hyderabad Records Lowest Digitisation
The statewide digitisation of enumeration forms stands at 78.26 per cent, but Hyderabad recorded the lowest rate at just 58.89 per cent. Of 47,36,669 registered electors in the state capital, digitisation has been completed for only 27,89,214 voters. As many as 19.47 lakh voters in Hyderabad alone face potential deletion. In contrast, Yadadri Bhongiri district led all 33 districts in Telangana with a digitisation rate of 94.31 per cent.
Revised Electoral Roll Timeline
The draft rolls are scheduled for publication on 17 August. The period for filing claims and objections will run from 17 August to 16 September, while the notice phase for disposal of claims and objections extends from 17 August to 15 October. The final publication of the revised electoral rolls is set for 19 October.
Andhra Pradesh Comparison
In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Election Commission published its draft voter list on 31 July following the SIR, with nearly 45 lakh voters already deleted. Of these, 22.30 lakh had permanently shifted or were found absent, 15.22 lakh were deceased, and 7.37 lakh were found enrolled at multiple locations. Out of 4,16,27,694 total electors, 3,71,38,182 submitted enumeration forms; Booth Level Officers (BLOs) could not locate or retrieve forms from the remaining 44.89 lakh electors.
What Happens Next
Voters in Telangana who have not yet submitted their enumeration forms can still raise objections during the claims period. Electoral officials have indicated that names will not be removed without due process during the notice phase. The final rolls published on 19 October will determine the definitive voter count ahead of upcoming elections in the state.
Point of View
Not just a one-time enumeration lapse. Hyderabad's dismal 58.89% digitisation rate in a tech-forward city is particularly striking and suggests administrative capacity gaps rather than voter apathy alone. The SIR process is legally sound, but the compressed objection window — just 30 days for claims — risks disenfranchising genuine voters, especially migrant workers and urban renters who are hardest to enumerate. Andhra Pradesh's 45-lakh deletions add regional context: this is a systemic cleansing of rolls across both Telugu states simultaneously, and its political consequences deserve scrutiny.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are 73.50 lakh Telangana voters facing deletion from the electoral rolls?
These voters face deletion because they did not submit enumeration forms before the 10 August deadline under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Their forms were categorised as uncollectible — meaning they were found Absent, Shifted, or Dead (ASD) by Booth Level Officers.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision is a periodic exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and clean voter rolls by verifying the existence and current address of each registered elector. Voters who cannot be verified or who fail to submit enumeration forms risk removal from the rolls.
When will the final Telangana voter list be published?
The draft electoral rolls will be published on 17 August, followed by a claims and objections period from 17 August to 16 September. The final rolls are scheduled for publication on 19 October.
Which district in Telangana has the best digitisation rate?
Yadadri Bhongiri district recorded the highest digitisation rate in Telangana at 94.31%, topping all 33 districts. Hyderabad had the lowest at 58.89%.
How does Telangana's situation compare with Andhra Pradesh?
Andhra Pradesh has already published its draft voter list, with nearly 45 lakh voters deleted as of 31 July. Of these, 22.30 lakh were absent or had shifted, 15.22 lakh were deceased, and 7.37 lakh were enrolled at multiple locations — a parallel cleansing exercise to what Telangana is currently undergoing.
