Published Nov 03, 2026 | 7:23 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 03, 2026 | 7:23 PM
Elections to the two graduates’ constituencies are due in March 2027. The polling date is yet to be announced.
Synopsis: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C Sudharsan Reddy has said graduates who miss the November 6 deadline can still enrol to vote in the Legislative Council elections due in March 2027. Form-18 applications will also be accepted during the claims and objections period from 25 November to 10 December, and until the last date for filing nominations after the final rolls are published on 30 December.
Graduates in Telangana who miss the November 6 deadline to enrol for the upcoming Legislative Council elections can still register, Chief Electoral Officer C Sudharsan Reddy said on Tuesday, 3 November.
Elections to the two graduates’ constituencies are due in March 2027. The polling date is yet to be announced.
Reddy said Form-18 applications would be accepted until November 6, during the claims and objections period from November 25 to December 10, and after publication of the final electoral rolls on December 30, until the last date for filing nominations.
The clarification followed a review meeting with district election officers and electoral registration officers through a video conference on Monday. The meeting examined graduate enrolment and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with officials flagging pending applications, undelivered notices and incomplete hearings.
The Congress and the BRS have been pressing for more time for graduate enrolment. Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) chief K Kavitha met the CEO on Monday and sought an extension of the Form-18 registration deadline until the completion of nominations.
Fresh electoral rolls are being prepared for the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad graduates’ constituencies, with 1 November 2026 as the qualifying date. The draft rolls will be published on 25 November.
To qualify, applicants must have passed their degree examination on or before 31 October 2023, and reside in the constituency. Graduates who voted in previous Council elections must also apply afresh, as the electoral rolls are being prepared anew.
Applications can be submitted through the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer’s website or in person to electoral registration officers and designated officers. Applications on plain paper will not be accepted.
The CEO’s office said graduate enrolment was lagging behind the 2021 figures, with a shortfall of 2,34,997 Form-18 applications. The disposal of applications was also very low.
The shortfall was highest in Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Hanumakonda districts. Officials were directed to publicise the enrolment process extensively through the media and social media. Reddy had raised concerns over slow registration at a similar review meeting on 26 October.
Officials were also instructed to help graduates who could not produce provisional certificates or marks memos. They were asked to write to the colleges concerned and, if necessary, meet college in-charges in person to obtain copies for verification.
The CEO directed officials not to insist on Aadhaar numbers from applicants. If applicants furnish their Aadhaar numbers, officials must mask them before publishing the electoral rolls. All pending Form-18 applications must be disposed of within three days.
(Edited by Dese Gowda with Sreshta Ladegaam)
