A crucial multi-party meeting, led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Chennai on Sunday (November 2, 2025), has decided to challenge the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Tamil Nadu before the Supreme Court.
Participants at the meeting argued that the voter roll revision is anti-democratic and undermines the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu, especially since the Supreme Court has yet to rule on a similar issue from Bihar’s SIR case.
A resolution passed during the meeting declared the SIR unacceptable and urged the Election Commission to halt the process. It stressed that any revision should only proceed after addressing its flaws, ensuring transparency, adhering to Supreme Court guidelines, and allowing ample time, ideally after the 2026 Assembly elections in the state.
Notably, key opposition parties, including the AIADMK (led by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami), factions associated with O. Panneerselvam, actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), Dr. Ramadoss’s Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and his son Anbumani Ramadoss, and Seeman’s Naam Tamizhar Katchi, chose to boycott the meeting.
The resolution strongly criticized the Election Commission, accusing it of acting as “a puppet of the BJP-led central government” and operating undemocratically despite objections from Tamil Nadu’s political parties.
“Our concerns are rooted in the Bihar experience,” the meeting stated, alleging that the SIR there led to the deletion of votes belonging to minorities and those opposing the BJP. They also noted the Election Commission’s silence on the matter in both the Supreme Court and public forums.
The parties unanimously declared that the SIR, unilaterally planned by the Election Commission across Tamil Nadu and 11 other states, is designed to strip citizens of their voting rights and “bury democracy fathoms deep.” They further asserted that the SIR can only be lawfully conducted after a Gazette notification, as mandated by Section 169 of the Representation of the People Act.
The meeting also labeled the SIR as illegal because it seemingly disregards the Supreme Court’s directive on Aadhaar being merely the twelfth accepted document. “The Election Commission’s announcement lacks clarity regarding Aadhaar’s use. Its statement that no documents will be collected from electors during the Enumeration Phase has only sown confusion among the public,” the parties observed.
“The announcement also stipulates that voters must submit birth date documents upon demand by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). However, there are no clear answers about when this demand will be made, the required application format, the submission deadline, or to whom these documents should be presented. This raises suspicions of a hidden agenda to disenfranchise genuine voters,” the resolution detailed.
Additionally, the expedited timeline for the SIR process raised significant concerns among the attendees.
“The proposed SIR period, from November 4 to December 4, coincides with the peak of the North-East monsoon. Many voters are rural farmers who will be too preoccupied to submit Enumeration Forms. Furthermore, the Revenue Department will be focused on rain-related emergencies. This period is wholly unsuitable for the SIR and appears to be a deliberate attempt to remove a large number of voters from the electoral roll,” the meeting concluded.
Emphasizing the need for a just electoral process, the participants reiterated that the Election Commission must operate with absolute impartiality, free from any political bias.
“While the Constitution entrusts the Election Commission with ensuring a level playing field for all political parties, it is unfortunately seen as operating to the advantage of the ruling party at the Centre,” the meeting asserted.