Accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of acting at the behest of the BJP-led government at the Centre, an all-party meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin on Saturday unanimously demanded that the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls be dropped immediately and held only after the upcoming Assembly elections.The meeting, attended by representatives of major political parties in the state, passed a resolution condemning the EC’s move to conduct the SIR exercise from November 4 to December 4, 2025, describing it as “anti-democratic” and a violation of citizens’ voting rights.
The all-party meet resolved that every political party in the state will jointly approach the Supreme Court challenging the EC’s decision. The leaders said that the SIR announcement on October 27 had come at a politically sensitive time — with Assembly polls just six to seven months away — and that it risked disrupting the democratic process instead of ensuring transparency.
“Since the Election Commission has not accepted our view, there is no other option but to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court to protect the voting rights of Tamil Nadu’s electorate,” the resolution stated.
The parties argued that conducting the revision during the peak Northeast monsoon season, when many areas of Tamil Nadu face heavy rains and flooding, was impractical and unfair. The exercise is scheduled between November 4 and December 4, 2025, coinciding with major festivals like Christmas and Pongal.
“Most of Tamil Nadu’s voters are from rural and agricultural backgrounds. During this time, farmers and villagers will be busy with work or monsoon-related challenges, making it impossible for many to fill and submit enumeration forms. This could result in a large number of genuine voters being removed from the rolls,” the resolution warned.
The meeting also highlighted that the state’s Revenue Department, which is involved in flood management during monsoon, would find it difficult to assist in voter enumeration activities at this juncture.
Citing the EC’s earlier SIR exercise in Bihar, where over 65 lakh names were reportedly deleted from the electoral rolls, Tamil Nadu’s political parties expressed concern that a similar pattern could emerge in their state.
The meeting urged the EC to wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Bihar case before proceeding with any large-scale voter revision. It insisted that the EC must follow the guidelines and transparency mechanisms framed by the apex court and conduct the SIR only after the Assembly polls, ensuring a “level playing field” for all political parties.
The all-party resolution contended that the EC’s unilateral announcement violated Section 169 of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951, which mandates that such notifications be published in the Government Gazette.
“Without adhering to due procedures, the EC’s announcement is unconstitutional and in contravention of the RP Act,” the resolution declared.
Reiterating that the preparation of electoral rolls forms the foundation of free and fair elections, the meeting appealed to the EC to function as an autonomous and impartial constitutional body, without favouring any political party.
“The Constitution has entrusted the Election Commission with the prime responsibility of providing a level playing field to all parties. Unfortunately, instead of fulfilling this responsibility, the EC has been acting as a handmaiden of the BJP-led government at the Centre,” the resolution alleged.
The meeting concluded with all parties — including the DMK, Congress, Left parties, VCK, MDMK, and others — agreeing to challenge the EC’s SIR notification in the Supreme Court.