EC to begin electoral roll revision in TN by next week amid vote fraud allegations

In a significant move to address longstanding concerns over electoral integrity in Tamil Nadu, the Election Commission of India (EC) has informed the Madras High Court that a comprehensive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls will commence within the next week.

PIL alleges voter list discrepancies

The assurance came during a hearing on a petition highlighting alleged discrepancies in voter lists from the 2021 Assembly elections, where a narrow defeat was blamed on systemic failures. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, was seized with a public interest litigation filed by former AIADMK MLA B Sathyanarayanan. Contesting from the T Nagar constituency in the 2021 polls, Sathyanarayanan lost by a razor-thin margin of just 137 votes. He accused the EC of "mass deletion of genuine voters" and failing to purge invalid entries, including duplicates, non-residents, and deceased individuals from the rolls.

Also read: Nationwide SIR: Election Commission steps up preparations

Sathyanarayanan's petition painted a damning picture of negligence in the electoral machinery. Drawing from his own door-to-door verification of 100 out of 229 booths in T Nagar, the former MLA alleged rampant irregularities: duplicate entries, inclusion of voters who had relocated or passed away, and reports prepared by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) without actual field visits.

EC assures SIR will address concerns

“These are not mere inefficiencies but a serious dereliction of duty, Sathyanarayanan's counsel argued in court documents. He urged the court to direct a "complete and transparent re-verification" of the constituency's booths, emphasising the State Election Commission's constitutional obligation under Article 326 to conduct demographic audits against census data. The petitioner further contended that such lapses violate the Representation of the People's Act, 1950, and erode public trust in democracy. Sathyanarayanan claimed that despite submitting detailed reports to the EC, no corrective action was taken, allowing "phantom entries" to persist and potentially skew future polls.

Also read: SC asks Election Commission to fix errors in Bihar voter list in SIR case

Appearing for the EC, Standing Counsel Niranjan Rajagopal assured the court that the SIR process—slated to begin imminently—would effectively address these concerns. The initiative promises a thorough overhaul: BLOs will conduct door-to-door validations across Tamil Nadu, cross-checking voter details, excising invalid records of the deceased or shifted residents, and enrolling millions of newly eligible citizens.

With over 6.2 crore registered electors in the state, the revision is expected to add substantial numbers to the rolls while weeding out ghosts from the system. "The petitioner's grievance will be effectively redressed through the revision," Rajagopal submitted, prompting the bench to adjourn the matter by a week for further updates.

DMK sees red, voices ‘vote theft’ fears

As the EC gears up for this phased rollout in the heartland of Dravidian politics, tensions are already simmering. Major parties, including the ruling DMK, have voiced sharp opposition to the SIR, citing fears of disruption ahead of upcoming elections. Through a resolution adopted at a high-level meeting of DMK district secretaries chaired by party president and Chief Minister MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam on August 13 this year, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) vehemently condemned the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, branding it as a blatant case of "vote theft" that undermines democratic integrity.

Also read: Why no SIR in Maharashtra? Opposition leaders ask top poll officials

DMK organising secretary and deputy general secretary RS Bharathi told The Federal that the EC must conduct any such process in Tamil Nadu with absolute fairness and strict adherence to procedural guidelines, as emphasised during an all-party conclave. "We have insisted that it should proceed transparently and justly; our position is clear—procedures must be followed to the letter, and once an official announcement is made, we will scrutinise it thoroughly before arriving at a decision," Bharathi asserted, signalling the ruling party's readiness to challenge any perceived overreach while safeguarding voter rights amid growing apprehensions over potential disenfranchisement in the state.

EC faces balancing act

Political parties like AIADMK and BJP are advocating for the implementation of the SIR method for electoral rolls. However, the ruling DMK and its alliance partners are expressing fierce opposition to the process. The resistance draws parallels to the recent Bihar revisions, where similar drives led to heated controversies over voter deletions and accusations of partisan targeting.

Also read: From Champaran to SIR to vote chori, Bihar’s electoral soul at stake

Critics within the DMK camp argue that the timing could disenfranchise legitimate voters, while supporters hail it as a bulwark against fraud. With an official announcement anticipated any moment, the EC faces a delicate balancing act: fortifying democratic safeguards without alienating key stakeholders in this politically charged arena.