Telangana SIR: EC Rejects FRC, BJP Welcomes Clarification

The Election Commission’s clarification that Telangana’s newly introduced Family Register Certificate (FRC) cannot be used as an identification document during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been welcomed by Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao, who described the decision as an important step towards ensuring the integrity of the voter list.

Rao said the EC’s clarification had settled the question of whether the FRC could be used for voter verification during SIR. He stressed that the electoral process must ensure that only eligible citizens are included in the voters’ list and called for strict implementation of the Election Commission’s guidelines throughout the revision exercise.

Reacting to the development, Rao alleged that the Congress government was attempting to facilitate the inclusion of “illegal immigrants” in the electoral rolls through the FRC system. In a post on X, he urged the Congress, BRS and AIMIM to stop supporting what he described as illegal vote banks and refrain from exploring mechanisms to provide legal cover to those staying unlawfully.

Rao also drew a distinction between the newly introduced FRC and the Family Register Certificate system that existed under the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh government in 2013. According to him, the earlier family records were primarily maintained to help identify eligible beneficiaries and facilitate their access to government welfare schemes and public services.

The Election Commission’s clarification came after questions were raised over the role of the new FRC in Telangana’s SIR process. EC officials on Wednesday made it clear that the certificate introduced by the state government would not be accepted as a valid identification document for SIR verification. A senior official said the clarification had also been conveyed to the office of the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer.

The issue has gained significance as the state government recently rolled out an electronic Telangana Family Register across the state. Citizens can obtain FRCs through MeeSeva centres, with the government positioning the initiative as a mechanism to simplify public-service delivery, bring uniformity to the verification of family details and maintain an accessible digital record of family information.

The controversy, however, highlights the distinction between administrative records and electoral verification documents. While the FRC may continue to serve purposes related to government services and family-data management, the EC’s latest position makes clear that possession of the certificate does not by itself establish eligibility for inclusion in the electoral rolls under SIR.

Rao said the EC’s decision had removed the uncertainty surrounding the use of FRCs in voter verification and urged authorities to ensure that the SIR exercise is conducted in a transparent and rule-based manner.