Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao defended the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls on Saturday and accused the Congress of questioning democratic institutions only after suffering election defeats.
Addressing reporters in Karimnagar, Rao responded to remarks made by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy regarding voter roll verification. He said the ongoing exercise was a constitutional process conducted by the Election Commission of India and supported by judicial rulings.
The BJP leader alleged that the Congress accepted electoral outcomes when it won elections but raised objections after losses. According to him, political parties should respect institutional mechanisms instead of casting doubts on them for political reasons.
Rao said the voter verification exercise aimed to ensure that electoral rolls remained accurate and updated. He maintained that strengthening voter databases was essential for preserving public confidence in the electoral process.
He further argued that criticism of election-related procedures without evidence could weaken democratic institutions. Therefore, he urged political parties to cooperate with authorities conducting the revision process.
Special Intensive Revision covers millions of voters
Highlighting the scale of the exercise, Rao said authorities had already verified nearly 57 crore voters across the country. In addition, he stated that another 37 crore voters were currently undergoing verification under the revision programme.
According to him, all recognised political parties participate in the process through their Booth Level Agents. As a result, parties have opportunities to monitor the exercise and raise concerns through established channels.
Rao urged political organisations to assist election officials in ensuring that voter rolls remained free from errors. He said cooperation among stakeholders would help improve the quality and accuracy of electoral data.
The BJP leader also called for vigilance against the inclusion of illegal foreign nationals in voter lists. Maintaining the integrity of electoral rolls, he said, remained crucial for protecting the democratic process and ensuring fair elections.
He added that the Election Commission follows established procedures during voter verification. Therefore, he stressed that all parties should contribute constructively to the exercise rather than create unnecessary controversy around it.
