Reddy instructed the ministers, MLAs, MPs and constituency in-charges to be extra vigilant in the wake of concerns about the potential deletion of genuine voters’ names from the electoral rolls. (Express Photo)Hours before the start of door-to-door visits by booth-level officers (BLOs) as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana, Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy on Wednesday night held a tense meeting with his ministers, MLAs and other party leaders, directing them to be extra vigilant about the process and warning of action against any leader found negligent in carrying out party instructions.Sources said several leaders were left upset after the meeting.BLOs began the home-visits phase of the SIR process in Telangana on Thursday. The state’s ruling Congress, as well as the BRS and AIMIM, have urged caution and vigilance, especially after Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C Sudarshan Reddy said last week that a pre-SIR exercise had flagged discrepancies with at least 88 lakh voters.In Wednesday night’s online meeting on SIR with party leaders, CM Revanth Reddy said he felt some party leaders, ministers and MLAs were not being serious about SIR, warning that it could damage the Congress in the state. He instructed the ministers, MLAs, MPs and constituency in-charges to be extra vigilant in the wake of concerns about the potential deletion of genuine voters’ names from the electoral rolls.‘Serious matter’“The SIR issue is a very serious matter. Some leaders are being negligent about SIR,” the CM said, adding that he would not remain a silent spectator as the party suffers. He waved the district-wise reports he received regarding SIR awareness meetings. Awareness about the SIR process was low, the CM claimed, and he threatened to replace district in-charges found to be negligent or not serious about the process.The CM instructed leaders to organise more awareness meetings on SIR and entrusted the ministers in charge of districts with more responsibilities to make the meetings successful. He emphasised that the voting rights of the poor should be safeguarded during the SIR. “If the poor lose their votes, they will also lose their Aadhaar and ration cards,” he said.“All leaders should strictly adhere to party directives,” the CM said, adding, “We will not tolerate any negligence and are observing the performance of the in-charges for 10 days.” Reddy also appealed to the party’s sarpanches to help organise SIR door-to-door visits and create awareness among people in villages.Story continues below this adDoor-to-door visitsThe SIR home visits process will go on until July 24.The BRS and AIMIM have raised concerns that a rushed process could lead to mistakes and a botched revision of electoral rolls. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi noted that as the monsoon has set in, the rain may impact the door-to-door visits, and suggested that a one-month period may not be enough, warning the process may be flawed and names of genuine electors may get deleted due to mistakes committed in haste.“Each BLO has been entrusted with the task of visiting 800 to 1,000 electors in their area, distributing enumeration forms, and collecting them,” said C Sudarshan Reddy, Telangana’s Chief Electoral Officer. He said that during the pre-SIR exercise, information of around 89.88 lakh electors was found to have minor mistakes and anomalies. In the pre-SIR exercise, officials verified the information of about 2.38 crore voters, while the state has a total of 3.38 crore registered voters.Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More Tags:Revanth Reddytelangana