CHENNAI: The DMK has reiterated its demand for elections to be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), saying this would help restore public confidence in electoral outcomes.

The party will submit a representation to President Droupadi Murmu seeking to scrap the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and hold elections based on electoral rolls prepared before the revision.

The decision was taken at a meeting of DMK MPs chaired by party president MK Stalin. A four-point resolution adopted at the meeting stressed that electoral roll corrections should protect people's voting rights rather than deprive them of those rights.

“The credibility of EVMs has been questioned. The doubts have intensified because of differences between votes recorded in EVMs and those reflected in Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. In view of this, the DMK and other opposition parties have emphasised that all VVPAT slips should be counted,” the resolution said.

The resolution also accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of functioning in a partisan manner and demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. It called for a proper inquiry into his functioning, recalling the DMK's protests against the SIR exercise.

“The party's stand is clear on issues such as scrapping the SIR exercise and removing Gyanesh Kumar. The DMK extends its full support to democratic forces leading agitations demanding the withdrawal of SIR and the removal of the CEC,” the resolution said.

The DMK also reiterated its decision not to participate in agitations organised by the Congress, accusing the party of betraying the alliance.