Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), leader of AIADMK, accused the ruling DMK of opposing the ongoing “SIR” — Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls — to safeguard bogus and duplicate votes ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Speaking at the party’s general meeting in Chennai, EPS claimed that the DMK fears SIR because it threatens “their bogus vote bank.”EPS said that under DMK rule, Tamil Nadu is witnessing widespread corruption and misgovernance in vital sectors such as transport, electricity, and state‑run liquor stores (TASMAC). He asked if the public still remembers how many ministers in DMK face criminal cases, alleging that while those with corruption charges remain safe and secure, ordinary citizens suffer. He suggested that SIR is being sabotaged so that duplicate voter entries — including names of the deceased — remain on the rolls.
He also referenced serious crimes such as child abuse in Anna Nagar and a high‑profile murder case (Armstrong murder) to question why the DMK government fears investigation by agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). EPS argued that the fear displayed by DMK leaders at mere talk of CBI‑led probes shows they have something to hide.
EPS demanded that SIR be allowed to proceed without interference and accused the DMK of spreading false propaganda to prevent a clean-up of voter lists. He said the revision process was carried out several times in Tamil Nadu earlier without uproar and saw no reason for the current panic.