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The Telangana High Court has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to consider issuing Urdu forms for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in select constituencies in the state. This is to be applicable in areas where 20% or more of the population converses in Urdu.
The court issued the directive on Monday, June 28, while hearing a petition against the ECI decision to distribute only Telugu forms. Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, who heard the matter, directed the ECI to submit a compliance report on the issue. No interim order was passed on June 28.
The counsel for the ECI informed the court that SIR forms were printed in Telugu as it is the official language of Telangana. However, an exemption was made in areas under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), where voters were given English forms.
According to The Hindu, after a meeting convened by the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, Booth Level Officers in Hyderabad were instructed to provide dummy enumeration forms in Urdu so as to help Urdu speakers fill English forms. However, the petitioner told the Telangana High Court that this is against the spirit of Constitutional provisions, and that voters have the right to be given forms in the language they speak.
The Times of India quoted the judge as saying, "The ECI is a body conducting elections in the world's largest democracy. You should have answers and solutions, not say it is not possible. The ECI should know democracy is the will of the people.” The court also reportedly observed that several government services, including those related to Aadhaar cards and bank account forms are available in more than one language, and questioned why SIR forms could not follow suit.
