Hyderabad district flags 19.46 lakh absent, shifted or dead electors

Hyderabad district has identified over 19.46 lakh electors as absent, shifted, or dead during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which concluded on Monday. The figure emerged on the last day of the door-to-door verification drive, according to officials familiar with the process.

The SIR, a comprehensive electoral roll cleanup, was undertaken to purge duplicate, shifted, and deceased names from voter lists. In Hyderabad, the drive covered all 15 assembly constituencies under the district, with booth-level officers tasked to verify each entry.

Breakdown of the numbers

Of the 19,46,000-plus electors flagged, the largest chunk falls under the 'absent' category — individuals who were not found at their registered addresses during multiple visits. Officials said many such cases stem from temporary migration for work or education, but a significant number may require deletion.

The 'shifted' category includes electors who moved within the district or to other parts of the state without updating their enrolment. 'Dead electors' refer to voters who have passed away but whose names remain on the rolls, often due to family members not reporting the death to authorities.

Verification process and objections

Booth-level officers submitted their field reports to the electoral registration officers (EROs) by the end of Monday. Each flagged entry will now undergo a second round of scrutiny, where claimants can contest the deletion by providing proof of residence or identity.

Officials said the process follows the Election Commission of India's guidelines, which mandate a transparent mechanism for removing names. Notices will be issued to the affected electors, giving them a chance to respond before final action is taken.

Impact on voter list accuracy

The final electoral roll for Hyderabad is expected to shrink significantly once the deletions are confirmed. However, officials stressed that the numbers are preliminary, and many 'absent' electors may be reinstated after verification.

Political parties in the district have been closely monitoring the drive, with some expressing concerns about potential disenfranchisement. Election officials, however, maintained that the process is objective and based on field evidence.

The SIR exercise is part of a statewide effort to clean up voter lists ahead of upcoming elections. Similar drives in other districts have reported varying numbers of flagged electors, though Hyderabad's figure is among the highest due to its dense population and high mobility.

Officials have not yet confirmed the final number of deletions or the timeline for updating the electoral roll. The next step involves publishing the draft list, inviting claims and objections, and then finalising the roll after due process.