Electoral rolls revision sparks political tension in Tirupati district
Tirupati: Tension escalated in Tirupati district as political parties are accusing their rivals of manipulations in the electoral rolls for the 2024 general elections.
Telugu Desam (TD) accused ruling YSRC leaders of the removal of eligible voters sympathetic to the opposition and attempts at the inclusion of bogus names to manipulate the voting process.
Between October 27 and December 8, around 1,17,870 claims were submitted across the district for fresh enrollments, revisions, and corrections in the voter list as part of the Special Summary Revision (2023-24).
The focal point of these allegations is the Chandragiri constituency, where a staggering 33,814 claims have been submitted. Within the constituency, 9,061 claims were filed through Form-6 for first-time voters or those shifting constituencies, 16,998 through Form-7 by way of objections to the inclusion of names or requesting deletion of one's name, and 7,755 through Form-8 for the correction of details of individuals who are already in the electoral rolls.
Pulivarthi Nani, Telugu Desam’s Chandragiri constituency in-charge, accused Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy of registering names of bogus voters. He alleged that 58 votes belonging to non-locals were registered at a private college, contrary to the EC order against the registration of voters from educational institutions.
Nani also raised concern about the authenticity of the electoral rolls and cited instances where items such as mirrors and iron cupboards were uploaded instead of voters' photos in respect of some new voters. Despite filing complaints and raising concerns, no concrete action has been taken, he said.
District Collector Venkataramana Reddy issued a stern warning, saying individuals providing false information in Form-7 applications for the cancellation of votes will face criminal charges. Any attempt to submit a fraudulent Form-7 application will attract penal action under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as per ECI directives, he said.
“The police department is prepared to identify and prosecute those filing false submissions by tracing their IP addresses. Any Form-7 found incorrect during field-level verification will be handed over for criminal investigation,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the TD also accused YSRC leaders of resorting to the deletion of TD sympathizers' votes in Srikalahasti, where 8,556 claims for the removal of voters have been reported.
TD in-charge Bojjala Sudheer Reddy alleged that 11,000 bogus voters were enrolled in the constituency. In Tirupati, there were 5,858 claims for removal of voters, followed by Venkatagiri with 3,499, Gudur with 4,028, Sullurpet with 3,334, and Satyavedu with 2,433.
