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TPCC Seeks Clarity from Telangana CEO on Graduate Constituency Voter Registration

• TPCC Panel Highlights Dual Voting Risks & Residence Proof Hurdles for IT Staff; Seeks Urgent Election Commission Guidelines

RightsMedia Desk
RightsMedia Desk
Hyderabad
17 Oct 2026, 09:47 PM Country: India State: Telangana Hyderabad Rights Media Society
TPCC Seeks Clarity from Telangana CEO on Graduate Constituency Voter Registration
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• The TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee has submitted a representation to the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana.

Hyderabad (Rights Media):
TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee Urges Telangana Chief Electoral Officer to Clarify Voter Registration Process for Young Graduates Working in Hyderabad and Other Cities.

The TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee has submitted a representation to the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, urging the authorities to resolve the confusion faced by thousands of young graduates working in the IT, IT-enabled services (IT/ITeS), financial and corporate sectors in Hyderabad and other cities regarding registration of their names in the Electoral Rolls of Graduates’ Constituencies.

The representation was submitted by Pulipati Rajesh Kumar, Chairman of the TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee, Gampa Venu, Chairman of the SSA and Gopishetty Raghavender, member of the TPCC ECCC.

They stated that Hyderabad has emerged as one of the country's leading IT, industrial and corporate hubs, attracting thousands of graduates from various districts of Telangana and other states, who live and work in the city. However, many of these graduates are facing uncertainty regarding their eligibility and the procedures for registering in the Electoral Rolls of Graduates’ Constituencies, particularly because they are already registered as ordinary voters in their hometowns and are residing temporarily in Hyderabad.

They emphasized the need for official guidelines on several key aspects of graduate voter registration, particularly the role of details of the Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) in the Form 18 application, the criteria for determining the relevant Graduates’ Constituency, and the standards for treating temporary residence as ordinary residence.

Referring to the importance of ordinary residence under Section 19 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, they requested the issuance of clear guidelines on whether IT and corporate employees living in rented accommodation could submit documents such as rental agreements, employment-related residence certificates issued by their companies’ Human Resources (HR) departments, and local utility bills as proof of residence.

They also sought clarification on the following issues:

• Which Graduates’ Constituency should graduates from other districts of Telangana and those who have migrated from other states to Hyderabad for employment register in, based on their current residence?

• What eligibility criteria apply to graduates who are registered as ordinary voters in other states and wish to register in the Electoral Rolls of Graduates’ Constituencies in Telangana?

• What procedures must be followed to prevent voter registration at more than one location?

• What are the specific requirements and procedures for submitting Form 18 applications?

In this regard, the committee requested the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana, to issue comprehensive official guidelines or publish clarifications in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). They particularly urged the authorities to provide clear instructions on the criteria for determining the relevant Graduates’ Constituency, acceptable residence-proof documents for employees temporarily living in rented accommodation, the eligibility of graduates who have migrated from other states, and the Form 18 application process.

The committee also brought to the authorities’ attention that thousands of graduates reside temporarily in major IT corridors of Hyderabad, including HITEC City, Gachibowli and Madhapur, for employment purposes. They pointed out that if such graduates were permitted to exercise their graduate voting rights both at their permanent place of residence and at their temporary place of residence in Hyderabad, it would effectively amount to granting them dual voting rights through the Election Commission.

Accurate information and transparent procedures are essential to enable young people, particularly educated working professionals, to participate actively in the democratic process. The committee expressed hope that the Election Commission would issue clear guidelines on these matters, enabling eligible graduates to exercise their voting rights effectively and eliminating the existing confusion surrounding the voter registration process.

Source / reference: Pulipati Rajesh Kumar, Chairman, TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee.

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