DMK urges Election Commission to immediately halt SIR

The ruling DMK on Monday urged the Election Commission of India to immediately halt the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll and to conduct it in a more scientific and systematic manner. It said if the ECI continued the exercise in its present form, with all its shortcomings, numerous eligible voters would be deleted while ineligible voters might be included.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, DMK organisation secretary R.S. Bharathi said the outcome of the current process would be diametrically opposed to the objectives of the ECI.

“We submit that this exercise requires at least one year for proper implementation. The ECI should conduct the SIR after taking into account all practical difficulties and defer the implementation of its order dated 27 October 2025 until after the 2026 elections,” Mr Bharathi said.

Pointing out there was considerable doubt and confusion among voters, he said it was not clear whether it was mandatory to affix photographs to the enumeration form.

“Married women who were voters in their parental constituencies now require clarification regarding the documents needed to enrol as voters in their marital constituencies. We also wish to know the status of voters whose names were deleted from the 2024–2025 electoral roll,” he said.

Mr Bharathi further sought clarification on the implications for individuals whose names or whose parents’ names could not be traced in the 2002 or 2005 electoral rolls.

Alleging Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were not carrying the 2002/2005 voter lists, he questioned how ordinary citizens could access them.

“For voters who have shifted their residence to other constituencies, how can they access the 2002/2005 voter lists? How can these lists be correlated with constituencies that underwent delimitation?” he asked.

Mr Bharathi added most of the lists published by the ECI on its website did not contain street names or adequate voter details to enable identification and correlation of voters’ names for completing the enumeration form. “This poses a significant challenge for ordinary citizens attempting to fill in the form. The difficulties faced by illiterate citizens cannot be overstated. This issue must be duly addressed by the ECI,” he said.

He explained the DMK’s opposition to the SIR stemmed from the manner in which it was being implemented — citing insufficient time, procedural shortcomings and improprieties, lack of preparedness and awareness among BLOs, and the undue hardship imposed on ordinary citizens.