Poll body aiding BJP bid to fudge voter rolls, alleges DMK

CHENNAI: Senior DMK leader TKS Elangovan on Thursday accused the BJP of “attempting to create a fraudulent voters list” and demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Reacting to reports of internal objections from Election Commissioners regarding voter deletions, Elangovan expressed shock at notices sent under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to prominent figures.

“They have sent notices to the former Vice President of this country (Jagdeep Dhankhar), former Home Minister LK Advani, and former Chief Minister of Delhi (Arvind Kejriwal). I don’t understand what they are doing. This is done intentionally: they want to create a fraudulent voters list,” he alleged, adding that the actions exposed the BJP’s intentions.

Questioning the competence of the poll body, the DMK leader said issuing notices to such senior dignitaries demonstrated ignorance of the country’s leadership. “If you don’t know who the former Vice President is, then you are not fit to lead the Election Commission,” he said.

Reaffirming DMK president MK Stalin’s demand for the CEC’s removal, Elangovan accused Gyanesh Kumar of acting as a “slave of BJP” and intentionally favouring the ruling party at the Centre.

Elangovan also backed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray’s reported demand for re-elections in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, asserting that elections could not have been held “properly, democratically” under the current CEC. Additionally, he concurred with recent observations by a Supreme Court judge regarding the CEC selection panel, calling the replacement of the Chief Justice with a Union minister an “unjudicial process.”

Commenting on the Chief Minister’s sudden inspection of the TNEB headquarters on September 23, he noted that employees were agitating for more staff outside during the visit. “What action had he taken? Will there be no power cut tomorrow? Let us see,” he stated.