Telangana Minister for Minorities Welfare Mohammed Azharuddin on Wednesday, 17 June urged residents — particularly minority community members — to stay alert during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that similar exercises in other states had led to mass deletions of legitimate voter names. The appeal was made at Gandhi Bhavan, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) headquarters in Hyderabad.

Voter Deletions in Other States: The Warning

Azharuddin alleged that a large number of minority voters had been struck off electoral rolls during SIR exercises conducted in West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar. “SIR has caused a lot of damage in those states,” he said, urging Telangana voters to submit all necessary documents proactively to prevent their names from being removed. The Congress party, he added, was actively working to ensure no genuine voter faced deletion in the state.

Over 200 Representations Received at Gandhi Bhavan

The minister said he received more than 200 representations from citizens who came to Gandhi Bhavan with concerns about electoral and administrative issues. “People came with their problems and concerns. I tried to resolve them by speaking to the officials concerned,” Azharuddin said. He claimed that 50 grievances were redressed on the spot after he contacted the district Collector directly.

Prajalatho Mukhamukhi: The Weekly Outreach Programme

The interaction was part of the ‘Prajalatho Mukhamukhi’ (Face-to-Face with the People) initiative launched by TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud in 2024. Under the programme, Telangana ministers meet citizens at Gandhi Bhavan every week to receive petitions and address grievances — a structured public interface that the Congress government has positioned as a transparency measure.

Swipe at BRS and Fee Reimbursement Backlog

Azharuddin, a former Indian cricket captain, also praised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, saying he was working hard for Telangana’s development. He dismissed criticism from Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders as opposition posturing, alleging they were making baseless allegations to divert public attention. On the contentious fee reimbursement issue, he attributed the arrears to the inefficiency of the previous government, asserting that the Congress administration was actively working to resolve the backlog.

What Voters Should Do Next

With the SIR process still ongoing, Azharuddin’s core message was action-oriented: voters must verify their registration status and submit supporting documents without delay. The Election Commission of India’s SIR process involves door-to-door verification and can result in deletions if documentation is not furnished in time. This is particularly significant for minority communities in urban constituencies, where voter-roll discrepancies have historically been more acute.