TDP writes letter to ECI to strengthen electoral roll management, transparency in electoral process

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 15 (ANI): The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) submitted a detailed representation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, proposing a series of reforms to improve electoral roll management and enhance transparency in the electoral process.
The letter, addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, was written on behalf of the Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party. The TDP Lok Sabha floor leader, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, highlighted Andhra Pradesh's strong democratic tradition and active voter participation, particularly during the recent general elections.

"Andhra Pradesh registered a record voter turnout of 81.86 per cent, surpassing its 2019 figure of 80.38 per cent. Notably, 117 out of 175 assembly constituencies recorded a turnout above 80 per cent," the MP asserted in the letter. He emphasised that this turnout stood nearly 15 percentage points above the national average of 65.79 per cent, underlining the state's consistent commitment to democratic participation.
"The Telugu Desam Party has consistently championed the voice of the people through electoral engagement," the MP said in the letter, stressing the need for reforms that match the high level of civic responsibility demonstrated by the electorate in Andhra Pradesh.
The major recommendations include AI-driven de-duplication, Aadhaar-based EPIC number verification, improved public dashboards for tracking voter grievances, and yearly third-party audits under the CAG. Additionally, the TDP demanded that election officials be held to higher standards, that Block Level Officers (BLOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) be rotated, and that special enrolment campaigns be held for migrant and marginalised groups.
The party emphasised the need for procedural clarity, protections against erroneous removals, and adherence to previous voter inclusion in reference to the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The party urged that the SIR in Andhra Pradesh be started as soon as possible, emphasising that the exercise should not be confused with citizenship verification. The letter said, "As Andhra Pradesh is not due for assembly elections until 2029, the Telugu Desam Party recognised that any future Special Intensive Revision (SIR) provides a valuable opportunity to ensure that the electoral rolls are updated in a fair, inclusive, and transparent manner." (ANI)