T.N. unit of Congress joins DMK in SC against SIR, terms it ‘de novo citizenship verification process’

The Congress party’s Tamil Nadu unit closed ranks with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to challenge the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Supreme Court as a “de novo citizenship verification process” which runs the risk of disenfranchising lakhs of people.

K. Selvaperunthagai, president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, represented by advocate Sriram Parakkat, has filed a separate petition within days of the DMK assailing the constitutional and legal validity of the SIR declared by the Election Commission of India (EC) on June 24 and October 27.

Both petitions have argued that the SIR exercise compromised the principles of universal adult franchise and free and fair elections. The plea by Mr. Selvaperunthagai pointed out that a Special Summary Revision of the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu concluded in January 2025, after a regular statutory exercise that had addressed deletions due to death, migration, and other reasons. The revised rolls were published and had been periodically updated ever since.

The petition demanded that the EC show the statutory backing for the SIR exercise.

“It [SIR] introduces procedures unknown to the statutory scheme and was never notified in the Official Gazette or placed before Parliament, contrary to Section 28(3) of the Representation of the People Act. The entire exercise thus lacks legal force,” the Congress leader argued.

Without any apparent “exceptional circumstances or recorded reasons to justify a fresh verification of this magnitude”, the plea said the decision seemed to be motivated by an urge to “impose a de novo citizenship verification process in the absence of any proven irregularity.”

“The ECI has assumed powers reserved for the Union government under the Citizenship Act, 1955, by enabling local officers to assess citizenship. The determination of citizenship, being a quasi-judicial function, cannot be summarily undertaken by Electoral Registration Officers,” the petition said. Like DMK, the Congress leader referred to the “unilateral imposition” of the intensive exercise without consultation with State governments as an “erosion of the federal structure.”

“Tamil Nadu’s role has been reduced to a mere executing agency, despite the measure’s significant implications for its electorate,” the petition said.

Online forms

The EC has made a provision on its official website (https://voters.eci.gov.in) for the convenience of electors to fill the SIR enumeration form online, the Chief Electoral Officer said on Sunday.

Electors can log in at the portal using their registered mobile number or EPIC number, and receive authentication by entering the OTP received on their registered mobile number. After logging in, they can select the option available under the option ‘Fill Enumeration Form’.

All electors who have registered their mobile numbers and whose names match in both electoral rolls and Aadhaar records are requested to make use of this facility, the CEO added.

(With inputs from Dennis S. Jesudasan in Chennai)