The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai has urged the Election Commission of India to delay the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll until after the 2026 Assembly elections.He cited the insufficient 30-day period for verification and form collection as a major hurdle, especially noting that this timeframe includes four holidays, reducing the working days available for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to carry out their duties.
The TNCC submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer, highlighting these concerns.Selvaperunthagai emphasized that conducting the voter roll revision during the monsoon season further complicates the process, as many government officials leave work early, limiting effective working hours.
He underscored that maintaining a transparent and accurate electoral roll is critical to ensuring free and fair elections, warning that any discrepancies in the roll could lead to serious irregularities.
Additionally, Selvaperunthagai accused the government of using the current voter revision exercise as a covert implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, marking a departure from previous revision processes like that of 2003.
He noted that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also raised issues regarding irregularities in the ongoing voter roll revision.
The TNCC is planning to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the SIR process in Tamil Nadu, seeking a halt to the revision until the next elections are concluded.