By Matters India Reporter
Hyderabad, June 23, 2026: In a coordinated push to strengthen voter participation, religious leaders and civic groups in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have begun mobilizing communities ahead of a major electoral roll revision, combining interfaith outreach, legal awareness and grassroots training.
An online Special Intensive Revision (SIR) awareness session and train-the-trainers program drew more than 100 priests, nuns and community leaders June 22, organizers said, positioning them as “master trainers” ahead of the statewide roll update beginning June 25.
SIR is a federal initiative to ensure every eligible person is properly identified and included in official records, especially for civic rights and voter registration.
The effort is being led by the Conference of Religious India (CRI) in partnership with All India Peace Mission Telangana and Youth Welfare Telangana, and comes amid broader calls from church leadership urging participation in civic processes.
Faith groups emphasize civic responsibility
Organizers framed the exercise not just as bureaucratic, but as a matter of rights and inclusion. The press note described the SIR as a critical step to ensure “no eligible voter is left behind” during the revision exercise running from June 25 to July 24.
Key speakers underscored the role of faith institutions in democratic engagement. Mary Dias, an organizer, “emphasized the role of religious institutions in safeguarding democracy,” while others outlined mobilization strategies and legal protections for voters.
Participants were trained on technical aspects such as filling enumeration forms, coordinating with booth-level officers and addressing concerns related to 8.98 million “flagged voters in Telangana,” a figure highlighted during the session.
The program concluded with a pledge to expand outreach through churches, schools and community centers. Organizers said help desks will be established locally to guide residents through registration requirements and documentation.
Archbishop urges faithful to participate
In a June 17 circular, Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, called the SIR “a matter of both urgent pastoral concern and civic responsibility regarding the SIR.”
He told clergy and laity that the process “directly impacts the rights, welfare, and future of every citizen” and urged them “to take the SIR process seriously and to ensure that their names and the names of eligible family members are properly registered.”
The archbishop emphasized the consequences of exclusion, stating that “non-inclusion, whether due to ignorance, negligence, or fear, can lead to serious difficulties in the future,” particularly for vulnerable groups.
Framing participation as an expression of faith, he added: “Participation in such civic processes is not merely a legal formality, but an act of responsibility towards our own future and the common good of society.”
He also directed parishes to appoint volunteers to assist residents and to create awareness among those who may struggle with documentation, including the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Grassroots outreach expands across region
The recent training builds on a wider initiative following a workshop on “The challenges of living the Synod on Synodality,” held earlier in Hyderabad. Organizers said similar awareness sessions will be conducted across dioceses in the region.
Community leaders are being encouraged to engage directly with residents and set up localized assistance hubs. The press note said help desks would be created in “Churches, Schools, and Community Centers,” with an additional push to expand into educational and social institutions.
Religious leadership has positioned the campaign as both a civic duty and a moral imperative. “Such inclusion helps safeguard access to essential civic rights and benefits, including welfare schemes, public services, and legal recognition,” the archbishop wrote in his letter.
With voter roll revision approaching, organizers say their goal is to ensure full participation and prevent disenfranchisement through awareness, coordination and community-based support.
The campaign reflects a growing trend of faith-based civic engagement in India, particularly in efforts tied to governance, rights and social inclusion, as institutions seek to bridge gaps between administrative processes and local communities.
(Photo: Women voters standing in a queue & displaying their voter identity cards at a polling booth in India during the 2nd Phase of General Election-2009 on April 23, 2009 / CC BY 2.0)