South First tried contacting the district collector, but the calls went unanswered. This copy will be updated once a response is received.
Published Feb 24, 2026 | 10:58 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 24, 2026 | 10:58 AM
Manjolai residents submitting Form-6 application. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Following the SIR of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, 650 residents have allegedly been excluded from the final voters’ list in the Manjolai estate area under the Ambasamudram Assembly constituency, despite submitting Form-6 applications seeking inclusion. The deletions were reportedly made on the grounds that the individuals were “not residing” in the area.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) released the final electoral roll for Tamil Nadu after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) on Monday, 23 February, stating that the state has a total of 5.67 crore voters.
However, a major controversy has erupted in the Manjolai estate area under the Ambasamudram Assembly constituency in Tirunelveli district, where 650 residents have allegedly been excluded from the final voters’ list despite submitting Form-6 applications seeking inclusion.
Residents of the Manjolai estate had been living there for decades. In 2024, following the closure of the estate by the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation (BBTC), the company instructed residents to vacate the premises. Opposing the move, thousands of families continued to stay in the estate and initiated legal proceedings asserting their right to residence.
During the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process conducted in Tamil Nadu, the draft electoral roll published on 19 December removed the names of more than 1,827 voters from the Manjolai area, retaining only 79 names.
The deletions were reportedly made on the grounds that the individuals were “not residing” in the area.
However, a ground investigation by South First found that the affected residents continue to live in the Manjolai tea estate. Their ration cards, voter identity cards, Aadhaar cards, and other government-issued documents all carry the Manjolai address.
Following the deletions, residents submitted representations to the Election Commission stating that they continue to reside in Manjolai. The issue was also raised at an all-party meeting held on 26 December 2025, where a Congress representative, Dr Daniel, demanded that the voting rights of the affected residents be restored.
Subsequently, the Electoral Registration Officer reportedly assured that eligible residents could regain their voting rights by submitting fresh Form-6 applications during the Claims and Objections period.
Acting on this assurance, 650 residents submitted Form-6 applications seeking re-inclusion in the electoral roll.
Daniel told South First that he, along with others, met District Collector Dr R Sukumar regarding the complete removal of Manjolai residents from the electoral roll.
According to him, the District Collector said on 23 February: “An affidavit has already been filed in court stating that only a certain number of families are residing there. Based on that submission, names have been included in the voters’ list. Nothing can be done beyond this. There are still seven days left; ask them to apply from their current address, and I will ensure they receive voting rights. They should also avail the benefits offered to them by the government and accept the tenements constructed for them in the plains.”
It should be noted that residents have been protesting since 2024, insisting that they should not be evicted from the Manjolai estate. They point out that no formal eviction order has been issued either by the government or by the court.
However, Vimal, a Manjolai native who has been actively involved in the legal battle on behalf of the residents, alleged that indirect pressure has been mounting on them, including the closure of ration shops and the suspension of bus services, and that the removal of their voting rights is an extension of this pressure.
According to Vimal, officials contacted them through the Booth Level Officer (BLO) just two days before the final list was published.
“They asked us whether we would like to shift our voting rights to some other location. We have audio proof of this conversation,” he told South First.
He further stated that the residents clearly responded that they did not want their names shifted elsewhere and that they wished to retain their voting rights in Manjolai, where they were born and have lived for decades.
When the final electoral roll was published on 23 February, the names of these 650 residents were allegedly not included, leaving families shocked and distressed.
“We told them we do not want to shift anywhere else. We want our voting rights in the Manjolai where we were born. We waited with hope, but instead we have been completely removed,” Vimal said.
According to the final list, only 78 voters remain registered in the Manjolai area:
None of the 650 fresh applicants appears in the final roll; the 78 names are those retained from the draft list.
As it stands, more than 650 Manjolai residents are reportedly not registered as voters in any constituency. It remains unclear whether other residents, except these 650, have been shifted elsewhere or removed entirely.
The central question that Manjolai residents are now asking is: Although the authorities acknowledged their continued residence and accepted their Form-6 applications, why were these applicants excluded from the final electoral roll?
South First tried contacting the district collector, but the calls went unanswered. This copy will be updated once a response is received.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
