Political parties walk out of SIR meet, demand CEC’s resignation

CHENNAI: Representatives from the Congress, DMK, Left parties, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a walkout, raising slogans demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) headquarters in Ripon Building on Monday during an all-party consultation meeting on polling station rationalisation and the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls for 2027. The DMK also demanded a return to paper ballot elections.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of District Election Officer and GCC head GS Sameeran to discuss the SSR of electoral rolls with January 1 as the qualifying date.

As proceedings began, MK Nawaz, VP, TN Congress Committee’s legal wing, displayed placards and shouted slogans demanding CEC’s resignation before leading a walkout. Representatives from the DMK, Left parties, and AAP joined the exit in solidarity. “We walked out of the meeting on behalf of the TNCC. The Chief Election Commissioner must resign immediately. A massive demonstration led by Rahul Gandhi will take place in Delhi on November 1,” stated Nawaz.

DMK Legal Wing Secretary K Chandru sharply criticised the election machinery saying: “The SIR was implemented in haste. Over 14 lakh voters were deleted in Chennai alone using inexperienced personnel. SIR was the primary reason for DMK’s setback here. We’ve lost complete trust in EVMs and VVPATs and demand a return to paper ballots.”

Countering the Opposition’s walkout, BJP State VP Duraisamy noted that his party had submitted constructive suggestions to ensure everyone turning 18 is enrolled. “An Election Commissioner cannot be removed on the street; it requires convening Parliament and holding a vote. The Opposition knows this procedure well yet stages protests purely for political mileage,” he opined.