Published Apr 11, 2026 | 5:50 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 11, 2026 | 5:50 PM
Manjolai residents submitting Form-6 application. (Supplied)
Synopsis: District Collector and Electoral Officer Dr. R Sukumar said that officials conducted proper verification and enquiries with applicants before granting voting rights. He added that the remaining applicants have been registered as voters in other locations such as South Pappankulam and Tenkasi.
After a prolonged struggle by the residents of Manjolai, the total number of voters in the electoral roll has now risen to 294, following the addition of 215 voters through recent applications.
In the Manjolai tea estate area under the Ambasamudram Assembly constituency in Tirunelveli district, more than a thousand workers had their voting rights removed during the recent Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll.
While there were around 1,850 voters earlier, only 79 names were retained in the revised list released in February.
The district administration had refused to re-enlist the remaining individuals, claiming that they had moved out of the estate. However, the workers maintained that they had only migrated temporarily for work, and that their belongings and permanent residence remained in the Manjolai tea estate. Hundreds of residents had written to the Election Commission, and 650 people had also applied for inclusion through Form-6, seeking restoration of their voting rights.
Following this, 215 voters have now been added, taking the total count to 294 (79 + 215) in the electoral roll, according to residents.
The remaining 435 people, who had submitted Form-6 applications, are currently not listed as voters in any constituency. They have demanded that their voting rights also be protected and restored.
Speaking to reporters on 9 April, District Collector and Electoral Officer Dr. R Sukumar said that officials conducted proper verification and enquiries with applicants before granting voting rights. He added that the remaining applicants have been registered as voters in other locations such as South Pappankulam and Tenkasi.
However, Manjolai area councillor S Stalin said that although 650 people had submitted Form-6, around 200 also applied online as a precaution. Only those who applied online have been included so far, and he urged authorities to ensure that voting rights are granted to all eligible residents.
