DMK alleges chaos in EC’s SIR work
Speaking to reporters at Anna Arivalayam, Elango said the SIR, now under way in 12 States and several Union Territories after Bihar, could result in the deletion of lakhs of voters. He said DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin had already warned that the exercise would lead to large-scale disenfranchisement.
Anna Arivalayam
CHENNAI: DMK legal wing secretary and MP N R Elango on Wednesday alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had created widespread confusion in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across Tamil Nadu, citing procedural lapses, missing forms and an unsuitable schedule.
Speaking to reporters at Anna Arivalayam, Elango said the SIR, now under way in 12 States and several Union Territories after Bihar, could result in the deletion of lakhs of voters. He said DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin had already warned that the exercise would lead to large-scale disenfranchisement.
The DMK, after consulting INDIA bloc allies and leaders of other political parties in Tamil Nadu, has moved the Supreme Court challenging the ECI's notification. The case is likely to be heard on Friday or Monday.
Elango said the process had begun with several irregularities. In most areas, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had not distributed the enumeration forms. "Officials claim they have not received the forms themselves. One day has already been lost in the 30-day schedule, " he said. In some constituencies in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts, BLOs had reportedly issued the forms and asked residents to return them the next day, in violation of the ECI's October 27 circular which allows one month's time for submission.
Elango said the schedule between November 4 and December 4 was inappropriate for Tamil Nadu as it coincides with the northeast monsoon and paddy harvest season. He added that the period until February 2026 also included major festivals such as Christmas and Pongal, which would make the exercise difficult for officials and voters alike.
Citing the Bihar example, he said 65 lakh voters had been removed from rolls without verification. The Tamil Nadu notification, he said, was even more flawed. He criticised Rule 13 on voter identification, which allows names appearing in Bihar's July 1, 2025, roll to serve as identification in other States, calling it undemocratic.
Elango said the DMK had trained party functionaries over the past four months to handle SIR-related tasks. "Our stand is clear: no eligible voter should be deleted and no ineligible voter should be added, " he said.
Asked about the AIADMK's stand, he replied, "The AIADMK supports the move because it has no faith in democracy."
