The Telangana High Court directs the Election Commission of India (ECI) to examine the feasibility of providing Special Issue/Service (SIR) enumeration forms in Urdu. Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy issues the direction while hearing a petition challenging the supply of enumeration forms printed exclusively in Telugu. The petitioner, a social worker from Karimnagar district, argues that limiting the forms to one language affects access for Urdu-speaking voters and related stakeholders.
In its order, the court also instructs the ECI to file on record details of the languages used for SIR form distribution in West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Bihar during similar processes in those states. The aim is to clarify how language requirements are handled elsewhere and to support the court’s assessment of whether Urdu can be included in the Telangana exercise.
The court’s directions require the ECI to respond regarding language inclusion and the practical feasibility of providing forms in Urdu, along with comparative information from other states where the process has already been conducted.
