Hyderabad: The election commission has urged political parties in Telangana to appoint at least 1 booth level agent (BLA) for every polling station ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Addressing a meeting with representatives of recognised political parties on Thursday, chief electoral officer C Sudharsan Reddy said BLAs should preferably be drawn from the local area of the polling station and work in close coordination with booth level officers (BLOs). Each polling station must have at least 1 BLA to ensure accuracy, transparency and timely resolution of issues during the revision process, he said.
The CEO informed that SIR is underway in 12 states, and the schedule for the remaining states, including Telangana, is expected to be announced in April-May 2026. Given the limited window once the exercise is notified, preparatory work has already begun in the state, he said. Table-top mapping was carried out to link electors listed in the 2025 electoral rolls with those covered during the 2002 SIR. This is being followed by field-level mapping, with BLOs undertaking house-to-house visits to identify and verify residences, particularly in urban areas.During the SIR, BLOs are expected to make 3 to 4 visits to each polling area. Enumeration forms will be distributed during the first visit, while subsequent visits will cover households that were unavailable earlier. Sudharsan Reddy clarified that electors who are not mapped during the preparatory phase will still be able to furnish their details during the SIR.Reiterating the role of political parties, the CEO urged them to complete the appointment of BLAs for all polling stations at the earliest. Effective booth-level participation would strengthen coordination, minimise grievances and help ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the electoral rolls, he said.
