November 3, 2025

In a fiery all-party meeting held on Sunday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took the center stage to lead a strong protest. The meeting decided that the State will approach the Supreme Court to stop the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The resolution boldly called this exercise "anti-democratic" and warned it harms the people of Tamil Nadu. “The Supreme Court is yet to deliver its verdict on the issue in the Bihar SIR case,” the resolution highlighted, hinting at ongoing legal doubts. The 49 parties present asked the Election Commission to drop this exercise or, at the very least, fix its problems. They want the revision done in a clear, fair way only after the 2026 Assembly elections, following Supreme Court guidelines. MK Stalin’s words were powerful: “I request those who did not participate in this meeting to discuss SIR in their parties and take initiatives to protect democracy. It is the duty of all parties to unite and raise their voices against the SIR being hastily implemented with the intent of snatching away the voting rights of the people of Tamil Nadu and murdering democracy.” Tamil Nadu is one of the 12 States included in the second phase of this controversial exercise. But the meeting saw some key players, including the main opposition AIADMK and its ally BJP, sitting out and backing the Election Commission’s move. The Secular Progressive Alliance, which included the DMK and its friends, fears big numbers of honest voters might be removed. Stalin pointed to Bihar, where many women, minorities, and people from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were reportedly dropped. “The absence of transparency has fuelled serious suspicion in the public mind,” he said. As Tamil Nadu gears up for the 2026 elections, this battle over voter lists promises to be a major democratic drama. Will the Supreme Court step in? Only time will tell!

Read More at Thehindubusinessline →

Tags: Tamil nadu, M.k. stalin, Election commission, Special intensive revision, Supreme court, Electoral rolls,