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Amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana, the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sudarshan Reddy said electoral registration officers (EROs) would be directed to take "additional precautions" in Hyderabad localities with significant Rohingya populations. However, he did not explain what these measures would involve.
Questioning the CEO's remarks, Bengaluru-based activist Shivasundar said no Election Commission notification authorises officials to single out specific areas of a city on the suspicion that there are foreign nationals living there.
Addressing the media at Hyderabad's Press Club on Friday, July 10, Sudarshan Reddy spoke about the SIR exercise, under which booth level officers (BLOs) have been conducting door-to-door distribution of pre-printed enumeration forms since June 25. The exercise will continue until July 24.
"Each enumeration form has two parts. Rohingya refugees will not be able to fill the top part of the form and can only fill the bottom half. When this happens, they will be sent a notice during the notice period," the CEO said.
He was referring to the structure of the enumeration forms, where the top section contains an elector's details from the previous SIR conducted in 2002. For those who did not vote in 2002, the form also allows them to provide the details of a relative who did vote that year. According to the CEO, this would be difficult for refugees to complete.
The bottom half of the form, by contrast, seeks basic information such as the resident's date of birth, mobile number and guardian's name. Other fields, including the guardian's EPIC number, and the spouse's name and EPIC number, are optional.
"Since we already know which pockets of the city are dominated by Rohingya refugees, EROs, as the quasi-judicial authority, will be directed to take additional precautions," Sudarshan Reddy said. He added that the "filtering and enquiry" process would take place during the notice period.
"We will be vigilant when the notice period commences," he said.
Rohingyas are an ethnic minority fleeing persecution in Myanmar, and are predominantly Muslims. The BJP in Telangana and other right-wing groups have been calling for the deportation of Rohingyas, labelling them as “infiltrators”. The Indian government does not categorise Rohingya Muslims as refugees, and therefore, they are considered “illegal immigrants”. Some areas in Hyderabad have pockets of Rohingya settlements, such as Balapur where nearly 7,000 Rohingyas are residing, according to official records.
Speaking to TNM, activist and journalist Shivasundar said, “"No Election Commission notification permits officials to earmark any part of any city on suspicion that they are infested with foreign elements and as such take additional precautions. No such rules were made by the EC and neither is it found in the EC notification issued for the third phase of SIR. What is that extra precaution?"
When informed that the CEO had not elaborated on what the "additional precautions" would entail, Shivasundar said such an explanation was essential.
"As an officer, he has to explain under what law or rule this specific precaution is being taken and how it is legally valid. All EC officials have to go by the May 14 notification released by the EC, and it does not specify earmarking of any kind. If there is an additional notification or additional information, the CEO should come out and clarify," he added.
After the door-to-door collection of enumeration forms is completed, the draft electoral rolls will be published on July 31. Electors will have until August 30 to file claims and objections, after which the final electoral rolls will be published on October 1.
The period between July 31 and September 28 constitutes the "notice phase", during which EROs will issue notices to electors whose details could not be mapped or were found to contain anomalies, and hear claims and objections.
