CHENNAI: Taking exception to the outcome of the publication of the draft electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the ruling DMK and its allies have alleged large-scale deletion of voters, even as former NDA ally AMMK urged its cadres to assist eligible voters in re-enrolment.
Deleting more than 97 lakh voters is a serious threat to democratic rights, the DMK said. Speaking to reporters here, DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi said the party had opposed the SIR exercise from the outset, warning that it should not be conducted in haste.
"This must be corrected immediately. Even a single genuine voter should not be excluded," Bharathi said, asserting that the DMK would take both legal and political steps to ensure the restoration of all eligible voters. "This is an alarmingly large number. We will ensure that no true voter is denied their right. The DMK government can counter the Union government's attempts in Tamil Nadu, he expressed confidence. "The DMK and its alliance partners will ensure that not even one vote is removed," he added.
Veteran Congress leader and former union minister P Chidambaram stressed the need for grassroots-level vigilance, urging party workers to verify electoral rolls actively. "Congress booth committee members must take the draft voters' list and verify it door-to-door. I believe all political parties will do the same. Tamil Nadu's political parties must prove that they are more alert than the Election Commission," he said in a social media post.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan alleged that those being removed were not foreigners but native citizens of the country. "First, voting rights are taken away, and then there is an attempt to strip citizenship. There is a hidden agenda. Despite objections from opposition parties, the Election Commission is being used to push this through. This is extremely dangerous for the country," he warned.
Meanwhile, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, whose party is currently not part of any alliance, adopted a more procedural approach. Noting that the Election Commission had released the consolidated draft voters' list district- and constituency-wise, he said time had been granted until January 18 for corrections, inclusion of omitted names and enrolment of new voters. The former MP appealed to AMMK functionaries and cadre to obtain the draft lists for their constituencies and extend all possible assistance to eligible voters to ensure their names are included.