Hyderabad: Voters Face Challenges in Tracing Ancestors for Electoral Roll Revision
Tracing the names of parents and grandparents in the 2002 electoral rolls has become a Herculean task for many voters ahead of Telangana’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) mapping exercise. Chief Electoral Officer C Sudarshan Reddy has stated that electors whose names are not found in the 2002 rolls can search for details of their parents or grandparents online through the “search by name” or “search by EPIC number” options and fill those details in the enumeration form, with booth level officers (BLOs) providing assistance.
The issue has emerged as several voters who exercised their franchise in the 2024 Parliament elections are unable to locate their names in the 2002 rolls. The SIR process requires such electors to try and retrieve the electoral details of their parents or grandparents.
Difficulties for Families with Deceased Elders
M Krishna Rao, a resident of Kukatpally, expressed that the process has become difficult for families whose elders have passed away. “Our parents passed away long ago. Our names are not there in SIR 2002. Neither do we know where our parents were enrolled. We searched for them but could not get details. It is a futile exercise,” he said. According to the process explained to electors, details of parents or grandparents in the 2002 rolls can be traced through the official website of the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana.
Documents Required Only After Notice Period
Reddy clarified that voters need not submit documents during the enumeration phase. “They would have to submit one of the 11 documents if their name is in the latest 2026 electoral roll. Documents have to be submitted after enumeration during the notice period,” he said. After publication of the draft electoral roll on July 31, 2026, the electoral registration officer or assistant electoral registration officer may issue a notice if there is a doubt over a proposed elector’s eligibility. At that stage, the elector will have to submit supporting documents.
Voters are advised to use the online search tools and seek BLO assistance to complete the enumeration process smoothly. The SIR exercise aims to ensure accurate and updated electoral rolls for future elections.
