Chennai, Mar 19:
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) leader Seeman on Thursday released a detailed 462‑page election manifesto at a public event in Chennai, ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
The document lists 49 major promises, projecting a vision of “state autonomy within a true federation” and a strong emphasis on Tamil identity, institutional reforms, and electoral changes.
Core governance and federal structure
NTK’s manifesto calls for “state autonomy in the state, federalism in the centre,” insisting that the Union government should respect the rights and powers of Tamil Nadu. The party pledges to demand that 75 percent of GST revenue collected in Tamil Nadu should stay within the state, shifting the current centralised revenue‑sharing model.
It also vows to agitate for a constitutional‑level change to prevent Members of the Rajya Sabha from automatically becoming Union ministers.
Five ‘capital cities’
A headline proposal is the creation of five “capital cities” for Tamil Nadu: Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, and Madurai. Under this plan, functions would be distributed across these urban centres, with Chennai retaining a special role as the main administrative and judicial hub.
Language‑based reforms
NTK promises to push for a bench of the Supreme Court in Chennai, to avoid forcing Tamil litigants to travel to Delhi. The manifesto also calls for all court forms and legal documents to be available in Tamil, and for the state’s Chief Justice to be a person from Tamil Nadu by law. Another key plank is enabling pure Tamil‑medium medical education, framing it as a step toward preserving Tamil linguistic dignity in higher education.
Electoral reform
The party says that if NTK comes to power, voting will be made mandatory for all eligible citizens in the state. It also wants to abolish electronic voting machines (EVMs) and return to the old ballot‑paper system, arguing that paper ballots better ensure transparency. Voters would receive a printed “receipt”‑style ballot slip, similar to a donation receipt, as proof that their vote was recorded. NTK also demands direct popular election of the President of India by the people, arguing that “no one not chosen by the people should have the right to rule over them.” The manifesto further seeks voting rights for overseas Tamils, so that Non‑Resident Tamils can participate in elections from abroad.
NTK proposes giving special preference to Tamils within the existing reservation framework, without eliminating safeguards for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. On representation, the party wants separate constituencies for women, mirroring the current system for Scheduled Tribe seats, so that a certain number of Assembly seats would be reserved exclusively for female candidates.