Kishan calls for complete revamp, verification of urban voter lists

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has come under sharp criticism as the city registered lower poll percentage from the start of polling on Monday vis a vis its counterparts across the State.

Union Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy on Monday demanded complete revamping and verification of voter lists in urban areas. Addressing the media after polling late in the evening on Monday, he expressed confidence in the party emerging with good results and achieving double-digit score in the LS seats.

He alleged that votes of dead persons were not removed from the lists, but thousands were deleted in the Jubilee Hills Assembly segment. "The electoral rolls with thousands of deleted voters were handed over to the party only on Sunday night," he asserted. Terming the deletion of voters a conspiracy by some officials, he said, "linking voter cards with Aadhar would have been a better option. However, the Supreme Court has rejected it."

He said, “It has come to my notice that about 3,000 votes have been deleted in Shaikpet division. Many of them had voted in the recent Assembly elections. For reasons best known, officials have deleted the votes. All deleted voters belong to 'one category’; it is intentionally done by officials.” “What turned more curious is that the deleted voters were handed over Voter Information Slips (VIS) a week ago, making them believe that their names are on the voter list. However, to their shock, the deletion of votes came to light only when they turned up at polling booths,” Kishan Reddy added.

Reddy said a complaint has been lodged with the district returning officer, who assured an inquiry. A complaint will be lodged with the Central and State election authorities; "we will fight the issue". Meanwhile, another incident of alleged illegal deletion of voters surfaced at booth 52 in St. Mary's School, Vijayanagar Colony (Nampally Assembly segment).

Initial reports indicated that 100 of 951 voters in the station had been deleted.

The voters said the police on duty expressed helplessness over deletion of votes and wanted complaints lodged with authorities. Neither the GHMC nor the RDO responded. "The Election Commission and GHMC, instead of lecturing about importance of voting should focus on how people's right to vote has been trampled upon in broad daylight," said a voter.

Reddy thanked the party rank and file as well as cadre of all parties for showing restraint despite provocations resulting in the entire polling going peacefully across the State. He said the 2019 Parliament elections had registered 62.7% voting; this time it is expected to cross 65% as there is a positive response to party in all LS segments.

The Union minister claimed that people in rural areas, including youth and women, voted cutting across party lines to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For the low turnout in urban areas, he said the response to party is positive. "Many people going to AP is a reason for the fall in voting percentage,” he said.

He said the Centre has issued a Gazette notification on celebration of Telangana Liberation Day and sanctioned the Sammakka-Sarakka Central Tribal University, the Turmeric Board, textile board and other prestigious institutions and entities in Telangana. Responding to a question, Reddy said the CM is challenging PM Modi with half-knowledge; “making false propaganda won’t be appreciated by people; instead, Reddy should focus on delivering on the six guarantees,” he said.