AIADMK wants ECI officials to ensure transparency in SIR exercise

Welcoming the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the AIADMK has appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that genuine names are not removed and ineligible names are not inserted in the voters’ list.

Submitting a petition to the Madurai District Collector Praveen Kuma on Thursday, AIADMK leaders said the officials should be alert as the DMK might insert ineligible names in the list.

The petition said when State government officials were engaged in the SIR exercise, there was no reason for the DMK to be apprehensive. But, the AIADMK feared that the DMK might attempt to include ineligible names and urged the officials to be extra vigilant.

Speaking to media persons, AIADMK MLA and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly R.B. Udhayakumar said the people were thoroughly upset with the ‘non-functional DMK government’. The AIADMK had a bright chance of emerging victorious in the ensuing Assembly election.

During the recent visit to Pasumpon in Ramanathapuram district by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a large number of womenfolk, youth and many from the DMK hailed the AIADMK. The plan to woo the voters with money would not work in DMK’s favour this time, he said.

The DMK was confident of ‘purchasing’ voters. Even if it gave ₹5,000 each voter, it would not win as people from all sections of society were thoroughly disappointed. “The DMK has deceived the people to come to power and it has come to light now,” he added.

Mr. Udhayakumar said the fact that the DMK government had planned to give about two million laptops to the students at the fag end of its rule showed its slackness. It was nothing but a lie to come back to power.

He said he was confident that after the May 2026 election, Mr. Palaniswami, on becoming the Chief Minister, would give the laptops announced by the DMK now.

He said apart from the AIADMK, parties such as the PMK and the TVK were also finding fault with the DMK government, while DMK’s alliance parties such as the CPI (M), CPI, MDMK, VCK and the Congress were silenced.

The Coimbatore gang-rape was more than a sufficient proof of ineffective policing. It showed the sheer inability and incapability of the government. Even after the Anna University rape case, the DMK government had not plugged gaps in police administration, he charged.