Telangana CEO pushes DEOs to hit 90% SIR digitisation by week-end
Synopsis
Telangana's Chief Electoral Officer has set a hard deadline — 90 per cent enumeration digitisation by week-end — and explicitly barred BLOs from demanding Aadhaar cards or physical forms from voters who have already submitted online. With urban constituencies lagging and VVIP electors still to be mapped, the SIR-2026 drive is entering its most critical phase.
Key Takeaways
Sudharsan Reddy directed all Telangana DEOs on 21 July to expedite SIR-2026 enumeration digitisation.
Districts must cross 90 per cent enumeration completion by the end of the week.
BLOs are barred from insisting on physical forms or Aadhaar cards if voters have already submitted details online.
Special focus ordered on urban pockets , lagging Assembly constituencies, and VVIP/VIP elector inclusion.
Verification of ASD (Absent, Shifted, Dead) cases and 'No mapping' electors is mandatory before finalisation.
Polling station rationalisation must be completed within the stipulated SIR-2026 timeline .
Telangana's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) C. Sudharsan Reddy on Tuesday, 21 July directed all district election officers (DEOs) across the state to accelerate the digitisation of enumeration forms under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 process, setting a target of 90 per cent completion of the enumeration exercise by the close of the week. The directive came during a state-wide video conference convened from Hyderabad.
Key Directives Issued
Additional CEO Vasam Venkateswar Reddy and Deputy CEO G. S. Chary joined the CEO for the virtual meeting, which brought together the Commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the District Election Officer of Hyderabad, and DEOs from all districts. Reddy instructed DEOs to ensure rigorous field-level supervision by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), BLO Supervisors, and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to keep SIR activities on schedule.
Notably, the CEO flagged urban pockets and Assembly constituencies recording below-average progress as priority areas requiring immediate attention. DEOs were also specifically asked to ensure that VVIP and VIP electors are included in the electoral rolls without exception.
Relief for Electors on Documentation
In a significant clarification aimed at easing the process for citizens, Reddy stated: 'Ensure that BLOs do not insist on physical enumeration forms if electors have already submitted them online. BLOs should also not insist on Aadhaar cards for submission.' The instruction addresses a recurring ground-level complaint where voters faced unnecessary procedural hurdles during enumeration drives.
Officials were further directed to facilitate electors in submitting forms, promptly resolve grievances, and carefully verify ASD (Absent, Shifted, Dead) cases while maintaining accurate records — a step critical to keeping the voter list clean and credible.
Progress Review and Monitoring
The CEO conducted a district-wise review of progress on unmapped electors, polling stations with less than 50 per cent completion, and uncollected forms. Districts were asked to cross the 90 per cent enumeration mark before the weekend. Reddy also stressed thorough verification of 'No mapping' electors — a category that, if left unaddressed, can create gaps in the final electoral roll.
The rationalisation of polling stations, another key component of SIR-2026, was directed to be completed within the stipulated timeline. Nodal Officers and members of the Technical Team also participated in the conference.
Transparency and Political Party Coordination
Reddy emphasised the importance of transparency in all SIR-related proceedings, specifically calling for proper documentation of meetings held with political parties. This comes amid broader Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines requiring that SIR activities be conducted in a consultative and observable manner, ensuring all stakeholders — including opposition parties — can track the process.
What Comes Next
With the SIR-2026 deadline approaching, the coming days will be critical for Telangana's electoral machinery. Districts that fail to meet the 90 per cent threshold by the end of this week are likely to face intensified monitoring. The final, cleaned-up electoral roll will form the basis for voter eligibility in upcoming elections across the state.
Point of View
Rather than a routine circular, underscores the urgency. The explicit ban on demanding Aadhaar cards and physical forms is a welcome correction, but it also reveals that BLOs have been creating barriers on the ground despite existing ECI guidelines. The focus on urban constituencies and VVIP electors points to a structural gap: high-density, high-profile areas are often the hardest to enumerate precisely because of access and compliance issues. If the 90 per cent target is not met this week, the credibility of the final electoral roll — and by extension, voter eligibility for the next election cycle — comes into question.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 in Telangana?
SIR-2026 is a state-wide electoral roll revision drive in Telangana, aimed at updating and digitising voter enumeration forms to ensure an accurate and complete list of eligible electors. It involves Booth Level Officers visiting households, collecting forms, and uploading data to the electoral database.
What target has the Telangana CEO set for DEOs this week?
CEO C. Sudharsan Reddy has directed all district election officers to ensure their respective districts achieve at least 90 per cent completion of the enumeration process by the end of the week of 21 July 2026.
Can BLOs ask voters for Aadhaar cards during SIR-2026?
No. The CEO has explicitly instructed BLOs not to insist on Aadhaar cards for form submission. BLOs are also barred from demanding physical enumeration forms from electors who have already submitted their details online.
Which areas are receiving special attention under SIR-2026?
Urban pockets and Assembly constituencies showing below-average progress have been flagged as priority areas. Special attention has also been directed toward ensuring VVIP and VIP electors are included in the rolls and that 'No mapping' electors are thoroughly verified.
What are ASD cases and why do they matter in the SIR process?
ASD stands for Absent, Shifted, and Dead — categories of electors whose entries need to be removed or updated to keep the voter list accurate. Careful verification of ASD cases is critical to preventing ghost entries and ensuring the integrity of the final electoral roll.
