R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, NOV 2
In a rare display of political unanimity, Tamil Nadu’s ruling and opposition parties on Saturday jointly condemned the Election Commission of India’s decision to implement the Special Intensive Revision (S.I.R.) of electoral rolls, terming it an “anti-democratic and illegal exercise.”
தமிழ்நாட்டு மக்களின் வாக்குரிமையைப் பறித்து, ஜனநாயகத்தைப் படுகொலை செய்யும் நோக்கோடு அவசரகதியில் மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் #SIR-க்கு எதிராக ஒன்றிணைந்து குரல் கொடுப்பது அனைத்துக் கட்சிகளின் கடமை!
வாக்காளர் பட்டியல் திருத்தத்தைக் குழப்பங்கள் – ஐயங்கள் இல்லாமல் போதிய கால அவகாசத்துடன், 2026… pic.twitter.com/3OYmvB1Czu
— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) November 2, 2025
Convened under the leadership of Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin, the all-party meeting adopted a unanimous resolution urging the Election Commission to immediately withdraw the S.I.R. notification, warning that if not done, all parties would move the Supreme Court to safeguard the democratic rights of Tamil Nadu’s voters.
- All-Party Meet led by CM M.K. Stalin passes resolution to challenge ‘illegal’ S.I.R. in Apex Court
- Leaders accuse Election Commission of acting as ‘Puppet of Centre’ in move that ‘Graves Democracy’
- Tamil Nadu Alliance demands halt to ‘flawed, rain-time’ enumeration drive, cites violation of law and voter rights
The resolution asserted that the Election Commission was acting as a ‘puppet of the Union BJP government’, accusing it of pursuing an “authoritarian agenda” by pushing the S.I.R. exercise despite the ongoing Bihar S.I.R. case still pending before the Supreme Court.
“Implementing the S.I.R. scheme in 12 states, including Tamil Nadu, without addressing the irregularities exposed in Bihar is tantamount to snatching away people’s right to vote and digging a grave for democracy itself,” the resolution declared.
‘Illegal and Unconstitutional’ Notification
The parties contended that the Election Commission violated Section 169 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, by issuing the S.I.R. notification without a formal Gazette publication from the Union Government. The meeting further alleged that the notification dated October 27, 2025, was not only procedurally flawed but also lacked transparency.
The ambiguity surrounding the use of Aadhaar as an identification document drew particular criticism. Despite Supreme Court guidelines permitting Aadhaar as the 12th document, the Commission’s wording—“Aadhaar will be accepted under certain conditions”—was termed “misleading and manipulative.”
Adding to the confusion, the same notification reportedly instructed officials not to collect documents during enumeration, yet its annexure required voters to produce proof of birth when asked by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). “This contradiction is deliberately designed to confuse voters and enable deletion of genuine names,” the resolution charged.
‘Wrong Time, Wrong Intent’
The leaders also objected to the Enumeration Period set between November 4 and December 4, coinciding with the northeast monsoon season. They warned that rural voters and farmers, preoccupied with agricultural work and coping with heavy rains, might lose their voting rights due to logistical difficulties.
Further, the parties highlighted that the draft roll period overlaps with Christmas and Pongal, making it even harder for excluded voters to file claims or corrections.
Fear of Voter Manipulation
Drawing parallels with the Bihar experience, the meeting alleged that the S.I.R. process was used there to delete minority and anti-BJP votes while adding ineligible voters to manipulate electoral outcomes. “The same conspiracy now seems to be unfolding in Tamil Nadu,” the resolution warned.
The parties demanded that the Election Commission restore credibility by rectifying flaws in its notification, adhere to Supreme Court directions, and conduct any future revision only after the 2026 Assembly elections in a fully transparent and impartial manner.
Vow to Protect Democracy
“The Election Commission is constitutionally mandated to act independently and ensure a level playing field. But today, it stands accused of serving the interests of one political party in power at the Centre,” the resolution stated, calling the S.I.R. a direct assault on electoral democracy.
Asserting that voting rights are the lifeblood of parliamentary democracy, the meeting concluded that unless the Commission withdraws the current notification, Tamil Nadu’s parties will jointly approach the Supreme Court to “protect every citizen’s right to vote and uphold the integrity of Indian democracy.”
