Hyderabad: The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) Telangana organised a workshop for advocates on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Hyderabad on Sunday, August 9. Lawyers, activists and civil society representatives attended the event and discussed legal and practical challenges arising from the upcoming voter list revision process.
The workshop focused on legal preparedness, discrepancies in voter records, notices, objections, appeals, documentation, legal remedies and the role of advocates in protecting the constitutional and democratic rights of citizens.
Dr. Usman opened the programme by outlining the steps APCR Telangana had taken regarding the SIR process. He informed participants that the organisation had run awareness programmes, legal consultations, advocate meetings, volunteer mobilisation and district-level coordination to assist citizens. He stressed that people should understand the process and seek legal help even before notices are issued.
Advocate Lara Jesani explained that APCR works through fact-finding, documentation, legal assistance and intervention in cases involving violations of civil and constitutional rights. She said it is necessary to identify problems at the ground level and bring them to the appropriate legal forum.
Advocate Raghunath raised questions about the necessity of the SIR under present circumstances. He said that while the integrity of the electoral process is essential, no electoral exercise should weaken the constitutional rights of citizens. He called on the legal community to remain alert and protect democratic values.
Shazin Siddiqui provided practical guidance on notices, responses, objections and appeals during the SIR process. Through case studies, he explained what documents are needed upon receiving a notice and how to comply with deadlines.
At the close of the workshop, Dr. Usman presented APCR Telangana’s action plan for the post-notice phase of the SIR. He said that after notices are issued, a coordinated legal and public support system will be established across the state so that no citizen faces difficulty due to lack of information or legal assistance.
The workshop concluded with a collective resolve among advocates, APCR district teams, activists and volunteers to work together to protect constitutional rights, voter rights and legal remedies.
APCR Telangana has appealed to advocates, civil society organisations and citizens to join this effort.
Story by India Tomorrow Hindi
