Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rejected the Family Register Certificate (FRC) launched by the Telangana government a fortnight ago as a designated document for enumeration of voters under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in the state.The FRC is different from the Family Member Certificate (FMC) issued by the state, said the ECI, because it was based on information that had been digitally extracted from ration card data. It was also issued after verification – documents were checked and local enquiries were made, the commission noted.The Telangana government hurriedly issued orders to launch the FRC on July 25, just about a week before the August 3 deadline for voters to return their filled-up voter enrollment forms to Booth Level Officers in the SIR. The hurry and the new form were attributed to fears of the Congress government that lakhs of voters would end up being deleted during the enumeration and verification process.The deadline for submission of forms was subsequently extended to August 10, which was the second extension. The period of filing claims and objections lasts from August 10 to September 9.BJP opposes new certificateThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted to the development with a petition to the ECI against the FRC, saying it was introduced midway through the SIR process to protect ineligible voters. A batch of writ petitions was filed in Telangana high court challenging its validity on the ground that welfare oriented database should not dictate voter eligibility.The SIR process began in Telangana on June 25. Initially, voters were supposed to submit their details to BLOs by July 24. But the deadline was extended to August 3 and then August 10, which was finally confirmed.The government order issued on July 25, in the midst of the SIR process, said it had been decided to launch the FRC with a view to facilitate the delivery of services, ensuring uniformity in the verification of family particulars and providing a readily accessible record.“These certificates will be issued within two days of application through the MeeSeva platform of citizen services on payment of a nominal fee of Rs 62,” the government had said.The move was immediately welcomed by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on the ground that it would benefit many poor and undocumented persons. But the BJP protested that the Congress government was trying to legalise a large number of Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis living in Hyderabad by arming them with such certificates.Telangana’s unique positionThe FRC is among twelve documents notified by the ECI for verification of eligible voters. In Telangana, permanent residence certificates and national register of citizens are non-applicable, though on the list of documents. Prior to the formation of Telangana in 2014, FMCs were issued by undivided Andhra Pradesh state through a revenue department memo issued on July 25, 2013.The FMC’s verification process started after individuals applied to the then Mandal Revenue Officers. The Telangana government did not issue fresh FRCs after bifurcation until the latest government order on July 25. This liberalised the distribution of certificates through the MeeSeva centres based on information digitally extracted from Food Security Card or ration card data. It did not involve any independent verification.Against this background, the AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi met the Chief Election Officer C. Sudershan Reddy to submit a representation seeking consideration of driving licence, Permanent Account Number issued by Income-Tax department and food security card (ration card) as an alternative to make up for the shortfall of three designated documents for SIR in the state.But his plea was rejected by the ECI on the ground that the permanent residence certificate and national register of citizens were confined to some states for special reasons while there was already an FMC in circulation in Telangana with all the features of the FRC.The Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana Vasam Venkateswara Reddy told The Wire that the ECI had rejected the FRC since it was equivalent to a ration card and would not be treated as a designated SIR document.Large number of voters at risk of exclusionThe advisor to the Telangana government on minority affairs, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, told The Wire that the government will represent to the EC to rethink its rejection of FRC as it would deprive voting rights to a large section of people who stood the risk of their names being deleted from the SIR.He recalled that about 74 lakh enumeration forms (21.7% of voters) were uncollectable until the expiry of the deadline for submission on August 10 as per ECI records. Many people who were in this category can be taken on board, he added, provided the FRC was accepted.Shabbir also said the government’s priority would be to approach the EC before exploring legal options.The EC clarification was issued following a request from the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, seeking guidance on the FRC. In his order, EC Secretary Navin Kumar said the FRC was equivalent to a ration card, which is not considered a conclusive proof of citizenship or eligibility for electoral roll update.The ECI noted that because the FRC is based entirely on the ration card database, it cannot be substituted for primary citizenship and identity proofs such as a passport or birth certificate.The order pointed out that under the earlier system, the FMCs were issued by Tahsildars (earlier known as Mandal Revenue Officers) only after field level enquiries and verification of supporting documents. However, under the new system, certificates are reportedly being generated online within two days based primarily on ration card data without prior field level verification.ECI refusalThe EC has observed that such certificates are effectively equivalent to ration cards. Citing previous Supreme Court judgements, it noted that a ration card is not conclusive proof of citizenship and therefore cannot be treated as an authoritative document for electoral roll verification.“The FRC … dated July 25, 2026, can only be treated as equivalent to a ration card and, therefore, cannot be accepted as one of the designated documents during the verification process under SIR. However, the Family Member Certificate issued before July 25, 2026 under the old regime (memo dated June 25, 2013) would be accepted during the verification process under SIR”, the secretary added.Welcoming the decision of the EC, the BJP State president N. Ramchander Rao told The Wire it was the BJP which first flagged the malafide intention of the State government to enlist voters in the SIR process. It was a deliberate attempt to facilitate people without any of the 12 designated certificates. On the other hand, genuine voters will have some identity proof or other among the 12 documents.He said FRC was not proof of identity but meant to avail government benefits like subsidised rice. It could not be used to prove identity or getting enlisted as voters. The move was aimed to aid AIMIM to enrol bogues voters in its strongholds.Rao also said the party was eagerly awaiting the outcome of the petitions in the High Court when the EC intervened.