Hyderabad: Calling for coordinated community action to face the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, speakers at a round table workshop in Hyderabad on Wednesday, March 4, said the masjid-level network in Muslim localities could serve as the most effective platform to create awareness and streamline documentation efforts.
The programme, held at the Madinah Education Centre in Nampally, brought together members of various women’s groups and civil society organisations, including SAFA Society and Help Hyderabad. Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Mohammed Shafiquzzaman, Dr Osman of Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Husna Anjum, chairperson, All India Muslim Education Society, and educationists were also present at the event.
Participants emphasised that instead of working in silos, non-government organisation (NGO) and community groups should coordinate their efforts to assist people in navigating what they described as a massive exercise unfolding across Telangana. “The masjid-level link in Muslim areas is the best network to create awareness in the community and coordinate work for the upcoming SIR,” one of the speakers observed, underlining the importance of collective planning.
A key decision taken at the workshop was to identify two tech-savvy youth from each locality and provide them with hands-on training in handling the technical aspects of the SIR. These volunteers would be trained in searching names in the 2002 voters’ list and in managing SIR-related documentation within a short span of time.
“They would be trained in SIR-related documentation work in just three hours,” said Irfan Khan, an IT professional who addressed the gathering. He stressed that with many Booth Level Officers (BLO) reportedly struggling with digital uploads and field visits, technically proficient volunteers from the community could play a crucial role in ensuring that genuine names are not omitted.
The workshop was part of a series of awareness programmes being conducted in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh under the guidance of Moulana Shah Jamalur Rahman, Amir Shariat. Speakers drew parallels with the consultative approach of the Prophet of Islam, noting that after migration to Madinah, he conducted a household survey before preparing the Charter of Madinah, highlighting consultation as an established Islamic principle.
Several speakers expressed concern over the similarities they perceived between the current SIR and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise carried out in Assam seven years ago. Referring to the Assam NRC, they noted that the process was based on the 1971 voters’ list and resulted in the deletion of around 20 lakh names. “There is hardly any difference between the NRC and the present SIR,” a participant remarked.
The gathering also noted that Census enumeration, scheduled to begin in April, would this time be conducted digitally. Whether it is the NRC, SIR or Census, speakers said, minorities and marginalised communities often faced disproportionate challenges due to documentation gaps and lack of awareness.
Irfan Khan urged the community not to view the SIR merely as a problem. “We should not look at it as a crisis but as an opportunity to set things right,” he said, calling for proactive engagement.
He referred to the list of 11 documents required under the SIR guidelines. However, a large number of people, particularly from economically weaker sections, lack birth certificates or other basic records. In such cases, he suggested exploring alternatives such as passports, caste certificates or domicile certificates, which may be relatively easier to obtain.
Providing figures from states where similar revision exercises were undertaken, he claimed that a total of 6.5 crore names had been deleted. He cited approximate figures of 65 lakh in Bihar, 98 lakh in Tamil Nadu, 1.4 crore in West Bengal, 75 lakh in Gujarat and 4 crore in Uttar Pradesh – the latter roughly equivalent to the population of Telangana. “All these people are now deemed to be doubtful citizens,” he said, voicing concern over the implications.
Speakers also referred to reports that 33 BLOs had taken their lives allegedly due to the heavy workload associated with the SIR process. Many BLOs were neither proficient in uploading names nor regularly visiting households, leading to procedural lapses. In such a situation, they said, community volunteers must step in to assist residents with documentation and verification.
Mufti Inamul Haq cautioned that not finding one’s name in the voters’ list could have severe consequences. “When you lose the right to vote, you lose your say in governance,” he said, describing community inaction as “criminal negligence.”
The workshop concluded with a call for structured coordination at the mohalla level, with masjids serving as nodal points to disseminate information, assist with documentation and ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the rolls.
This post was last modified on March 4, 2026 9:27 pm