The Progressive Alliance (SPA) and its allies staged massive protests across Tamil Nadu condemning the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
The protests were held at district headquarters across all 38 districts, demanding the immediate halt of the SIR process until after the upcoming Assembly elections.
The alliance parties, including DMK, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), MDMK, VCK, CPI(M), CPI, and others, accused the ECI of rushing the revision exercise in an “authoritarian” manner, alleging that it is politically motivated to disenfranchise genuine voters, particularly minorities and anti-BJP supporters.
The alliance criticized the ECI for ignoring strong opposition from various political parties and continuing the exercise despite multiple appeals.Key concerns raised include the poorly coordinated distribution of Enumeration Forms by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), the failure to remove discrepancies from previous voter lists, incomplete voter lists from past exercises in 2002 and 2005, and the challenge posed by the ongoing northeast monsoon season, which affects large sections of the population engaged in agriculture, limiting their ability to complete the forms on time.
Protestors, including top DMK leaders, MPs, MLAs, and district functionaries, carried placards and shouted slogans targeting the BJP-led central government and the ECI, accusing them of undermining democracy and attempting voter suppression. The alliance described the SIR as a ploy to remove genuine voters and weaken political opposition ahead of the elections.
