Published Oct 17, 2026 | 7:22 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 17, 2026 | 7:22 PM
DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has called for the scrapping of the SIR of electoral rolls
Synopsis: The DMK alleged that the Congress was adopting contradictory positions by opposing the SIR nationally while remaining silent on its implementation in Keralam and Tamil Nadu. The resolution argued that the Congress should examine allegations of irregularities in the exercise consistently across all states.
Noting that public confidence in India’s elections is waning, the DMK called for scrapping the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and restoring ballot paper voting.
A resolution passed at the DMK’s Parliamentary Party meeting on Saturday, 17 October, decided to submit a memorandum to Indian President Droupadi Murmu calling for dropping SIR and reverting to ballot papers instead of voting machines in future elections.
It called for future elections to use the electoral rolls that existed before the SIR. The resolution stated that electoral roll revision should protect people’s voting rights rather than become an instrument to deprive them of those rights.
The DMK also demanded that future revisions be conducted only after giving voters sufficient time and adequate opportunities to verify and correct their details.
The meeting noted that student- and youth-led agitation against alleged violations by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was gaining momentum, and it decided to back such movements.
It accused the Congress of initially keeping its distance from the protests and later trying to associate itself with the movement after it attracted wider public support.
The DMK alleged that the Congress was adopting contradictory positions by opposing the SIR nationally while remaining silent on its implementation in Keralam and Tamil Nadu. The resolution argued that the Congress should examine allegations of irregularities in the exercise consistently across all states.
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The resolution further alleged that while senior TVK leaders had publicly opposed the SIR and claimed the party could have won 170 constituencies if the exercise had not been conducted, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had not publicly opposed the SIR or demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s removal.
The DMK also questioned the TVK government’s decision to extend the service of a Chief Secretary appointed by the Election Commission, as well as the subsequent appointment as full-time Governor of a person who had earlier been appointed as Tamil Nadu’s Governor-in-charge by the Union government before the Assembly elections.
The resolution alleged that these developments raised questions about the TVK’s political relationship with the BJP.
It also criticised the Congress for questioning the DMK over the SIR while failing to question Vijay for not being a party to the joint petition filed by INDIA bloc parties in the Supreme Court. The DMK accused the Congress of targeting it while avoiding criticism of the TVK, which it alleged maintained a secret understanding with the BJP.
The resolution further stated that Vijay had not participated in INDIA bloc meetings or protests concerning the SIR after the elections. It also criticised TVK minister A Rajmohan for allegedly failing to mention the BJP, the Election Commission or Gyanesh Kumar during his speech at a protest meeting.
The DMK strongly condemned both the Congress and the TVK over what it described as double standards and warned the Congress against targeting the DMK, which is not part of its alliance.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
