Hyderabad, Oct. 4: AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has warned of large-scale protests in the city if Form 7 applications are allegedly misused to remove genuine voters, particularly Muslims, from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Speaking at a religious gathering at Milad Maidan on Saturday, October 3, Owaisi urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate complaints about allegedly false Form 7 applications and take action against those responsible.
He warned that Hyderabad could witness protests larger than those held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar if the alleged practice continued. Owaisi said AIMIM would not remain silent if genuine voters were removed from the rolls on religious grounds.
The AIMIM leader alleged that the BJP and the wider Sangh Parivar were attempting to remove Muslim voters through the misuse of Form 7. These allegations have not been independently established.
Asaduddin Owaisi Seeks Action Over Alleged Form 7 Misuse
Owaisi claimed that some printed Form 7 applications mentioned the names of voters whose entries were being challenged but lacked the names and details of the applicants submitting the objections.
He said such applications should be examined and called on the ECI, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudharshan Reddy and district electoral officers to intervene if irregularities were found.
Form 7 allows an applicant to object to the inclusion of a name in an electoral roll or seek the deletion of an existing entry on specified grounds. Filing an objection does not automatically remove a voter’s name. Electoral authorities must examine the application and follow the prescribed verification process.
The warning comes amid political opposition to the ongoing SIR exercise in Telangana. The revision has triggered concerns over notices issued to voters whose records contain discrepancies or whose details could not be linked with earlier electoral rolls.
On October 1, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudharshan Reddy said around 54 lakh of the 92 lakh voters issued notices had been included in the main electoral roll. He said the process of collecting documents and examining the remaining cases would continue until November 5, excluding cases involving people who had migrated or died, according to the statement cited in reports.
In August, election officials said notices would be issued to about 92 lakh voters over discrepancies in their records or difficulties linking their details with the 2002 electoral rolls.
Owaisi has urged election authorities to ensure that no eligible voter loses the right to vote because of false objections. The ECI’s verification process will determine the outcome of individual Form 7 applications.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
