EC Backs BJP Stand, FRC Not Valid For SIR, Says Ramchander Rao

BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao on Thursday alleged that the state government introduced the Family Register Certificate (FRC) with a “malafide intention” to facilitate bogus voter enrolment and help those without proper identity documents, including illegal immigrants, get on the electoral rolls.

Speaking to the media after the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued clarifications on the issue, Rao said the BJP had complained to the poll body against the use of FRCs for voter registration. He said the ECI had now instructed that FRCs could not be used for enrolment during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

“The Congress’ attempt to get a backdoor entry to illegal aliens in the electoral rolls through FRC has received rap on its knuckles from the Election Commission,” he said and added that the Congress, BRS and MIM must at least now stop sheltering illegal vote banks and stop finding new ways to legitimise illegals.

The state BJP president said the ECI order held that the FRC, introduced through GO MS No. 172 on July 25, is “equivalent to a ration card” and could be used only to access welfare schemes and subsidised rice, and not as identity proof for electoral rolls. Citing the ECI's 2013 guidelines, he said the older Family Member Certificate, issued after verification, remained valid, while the new FRC, generated electronically from food security card data without field verification, did not qualify.

Rao alleged that the Congress government introduced the FRC at the behest of the AIMIM to enrol people without proper identity documents. He said the BJP had also challenged the move in the Telangana High Court.

“We are fighting legally and politically to protect the purity of the electoral process,” he said, adding that the draft electoral rolls would be released on August 17, after which citizens could file claims and objections.

Separately, Rao addressed a ‘Tiranga Rally’ at Tarnaka in Hyderabad and another at Peddapalli ahead of the 80th Independence Day. He called upon the youth to become partners in building a “Viksit Bharat” with a “Nation First” resolve.