Electoral rolls’ revision sparks controversy in Tirupati district

Tirupati: Political turmoil is brewing in Tirupati district as opposition parties, particularly the TDP and Jana Sena Party, accuse the ruling party leaders of orchestrating a massive influx of questionable voter claims in a bid to gain political advantage in the upcoming elections.

Out of the staggering 1,17,870 claims for revisions, corrections and fresh enrolments in electoral rolls received in Tirupati district, Chandragiri constituency takes the lead with 33,814 claims. Following closely, Tirupati reported 19,379 claims, raising eyebrows and prompting opposition leaders to scrutinise the authenticity of the registrations.

Chandragiri constituency, at the epicentre of the controversy, witnessed 9,061 claims filed through Form-6, intended for the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll for first-time voters or those shifting constituencies. Additionally, a record-breaking 16,998 claims were filed through Form-7, used for objecting to the inclusion of other names or requesting the deletion of one’s name.

Another 7,755 claims were submitted through Form-8, meant for the correction of particulars of individuals already in the electoral roll.

Opposition leaders, notably TDP constituency in-charge Pulivarthi Nani, have squarely pointed fingers at Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, accusing him of masterminding the registration of fraudulent voters in the constituency.

Nani alleges that within just three days last week, 4000 bogus votes were registered on the MLA’s orders. Despite identifying 35000 suspicious voters and filing complaints with BLOs and the Collector’s office, no concrete action has been taken, he averred.

Nani highlighted a specific case where 58 voters, who were non-locals, were still registered near a private college, despite three months of requests for their removal. He cast doubt on the authenticity of the electoral rolls, revealing instances where instead of voters’ photos, iron wardrobes, mirrors, and photo frames were uploaded for some new voters.

Similar allegations have surfaced in other constituencies as well. Srikalahasti, following Chandragiri, reported 8,556 applications for the removal of voters. TDP in-charge B Sudheer Reddy alleged that 11,000 bogus voters were enrolled in the constituency and despite complaints to authorities, no corrective action has been taken.

In Tirupati, 7,199 fresh applications for enrolment have been received, contrasting with 5858 claims for the removal of voters. TDP leaders here also claim that the ruling party is attempting to include bogus voters while actively seeking the removal of TDP sympathisers’ names.

Meanwhile, addressing a meeting of political parties on Tuesday, district collector K Venkataramana Reddy warned that individuals providing false information in Form-7 applications for the cancellation of votes will face criminal charges.

He said the police department is fully prepared to identify and prosecute those filing false submissions by tracing their IP addresses from the mobile or computer devices used. “Any Form-7 found incorrect during field-level verification by the respective Returning Officer (RO) will be immediately handed over for criminal investigation,” the collector asserted.