The first alleged instance of bulk Form 7s in Hyderabad surfaced on October 1, 2026, in Musheerabad constituency. (Express File Photo)The Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, C Sudarshan Reddy, has issued an order to the Commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the District Education Officer, Hyderabad, and all collectors and DEOs of districts across the state, asking them to “take appropriate action” against individuals who submitted Form 7s to falsely delete eligible voters from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.The CEO’s memo, issued on Monday, reads, “It has come to the notice of this office that there have been instances of filing bulk applications in Form 7 before the EROs (electoral registration officers) and it is also alleged that such forms are not genuine.”Also Read | ‘Was doing my duty’: BLO who stopped bulk submission of pre-printed SIR Form 7s in HyderabadThe memo added that officials, including collectors, DEOs and EROs, should “take action against the applicants, who have made knowingly false statement or declaration in writing in form 6, 6A, 7 and 8 as per the provisions of section 31 of the Representation of People Act 1950”. The memo further states that such action shall be preceded by an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.The CEO’s instructions come against the backdrop of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee’s (TPCC) electoral office filing a complaint with the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, seeking FIRs over alleged Form 7 misuse.The first alleged instance of bulk Form 7s in Hyderabad surfaced on October 1, 2026, in Musheerabad constituency. Pre-printed applications were allegedly filed by a booth-level agent (BLA) of the BJP, seeking the deletion of 31 electors, including a Congress BLA and his family members, the Congress claimed.Express Investigation | 14 times in 10 months, two Election Commissioners objected on record to poll panel stepsIn another case, a pre-printed Form 7 surfaced in Bahadurpura constituency. This, too, was flagged by the TPCC. The third instance brought to the notice of the commissioner was from Goshamahal assembly constituency’s booth number 173. “In the Goshamahal case, the BLO [booth-level officer] refused to accept the bulk pre-printed forms,” a TPCC leader claimed.The Congress is in power in the state.Speaking to The Indian Express, a BLO who refused to take in pre-printed Form 7s said, “I was only doing my duty. I brought it to the notice of the ERO.” 14 times in 10 months, two Election Commissioners objected on record to poll panel stepsFrom keeping them in the dark to adding new voters, deleting names, ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi flagged "unauthorised, illegal" moves.Read the full story →'ECs knocked on Cabinet Secretary’s door over voter software integrityOver ten months, from November to August, the two Commissioners said so repeatedly and in writingRead the full story →‘Illegal, unauthorised’: Election Commissioners objected to Form 6 changeThe section itself was not marked mandatory, but applicants could not proceed to submit the form without answering it.Read the full story →8 emails in 7 days, but valid Goa voters still left out: EC’s flawed systemFor a Goan, being off the roll costs more than a vote: Dialysis to transplants, state health support scheme open only to voters.Read the full story →After 13 crore names dropped from draft rolls, EC orders ‘left out’ voter driveForm 6, changes to which the two ECs had red-flagged, will be the re-entry route for those deleted, without the SIR question.Read the full story →What Election Commission rift reveals: Cloud over its conductThere has been dissent within the Election Commission earlier but this one is very different.Read the full story → Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More