‘No new enrolments’: Hyderabad DEO denies voter fraud claims, says all names from 2023 rolls
The DEO conducted an inquiry into four cases where an unusually high number of voters were registered under single addresses: 50 voters at one address and 43 at another.
By - Sistla Dakshina Murthy
‘No new enrolments’: Hyderabad DEO denies voter fraud claims, says all names from 2023 rolls
Hyderabad: Hyderabad District Election Officer (DEO) RV Karnan on Monday dismissed allegations of voter addition malpractices in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency, where a by-election is scheduled for November 11.
The clarification follows media reports and political claims about unusually high numbers of voters registered at certain addresses.
DEO says inquiry finds no irregularities
The DEO conducted an inquiry into four cases where an unusually high number of voters were registered under single addresses: 50 voters at one address and 43 at another.
The investigation revealed that all these names were already part of the final electoral rolls for the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. No new enrolments had taken place at these addresses.
“There has been no change in the number of electors at the mentioned addresses since 2023. Claims of newly added voters are completely false,” Karnan said.
Multiple residences account for high voter numbers
The inquiry also found that some addresses have multiple residences.
For example, the house with 50 voters includes three floors and a penthouse, while the one with 43 voters has 15 flats. This explains the higher number of registered voters at single addresses.
BRS alleges ‘vote chori’
Despite the DEO’s clarification, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders accused the Congress party of attempting ‘vote chori’ (vote theft). BRS working president KT Rama Rao displayed a list of 43 voters at one house, alleging that some voters were improperly enrolled from other constituencies.
BRS spokesperson Y Satish Reddy and leader Krishank Manne claimed voters from Nakrekal and Uppal constituencies were enrolled in Jubilee Hills ahead of the by-election.
Constituency voter data
The final electoral roll shows Jubilee Hills has 3,99,000 registered voters, including 2,07,382 males, 1,91,593 females, and 25 third-gender voters. In the 2023 Assembly elections, the constituency had 3,85,287 voters, marking a 3.49% increase.
First day sees 10 candidates enter race; 11 nominations filed
The nomination process for the November 11 bye-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency began on Monday, with ten candidates filing their papers on the first day.
Returning Officer P. Sairam said that a total of 11 sets of nominations were received. Among those who filed nominations were Poosa Srinivas of the Telangana Rashtra Punahnirmana Samithi and Aravapalli Srinivasa Rao of the Navataram Party, while the remaining candidates are Independents.
No candidates from major national or regional parties filed nominations on the opening day.The election process officially commenced with the issuance of the notification by the Returning Officer.
Independent candidate files nomination in style
Independent candidate Poosa Srinivas, president of the Telangana Udyama Karulu Sangham, filed his nomination on Monday. Srinivas, from Musheerabad, cited the presence of approximately 20,000 voters from his Gangaputra community in Jubilee Hills as the reason for contesting.
He arrived at the Returning Office in Shaikpet on an open-top rickshaw, accompanied by five associates and drumbeats. Due to election rules, he dismounted before entering to submit his papers.
“I trust in the support of the Gangaputra community in Jubilee Hills. I have contested 14 times earlier in Bhongir and Munugode but was defeated. This time, I hope for better results,” Srinivas told media persons.
