Tamil Nadu Minister Challenges Election Commission: Claims SIR Process Threatens Voter Rights Ahead of 2026 Elections

Tamil Nadu IT Minister Dr PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan has launched a scathing critique of the Election Commission of India (EC) regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Dr Thiagarajan expressed grave concerns that the timing and execution of the SIR could lead to widespread voter disenfranchisement before the 2026 Assembly elections.

The DMK has petitioned the Supreme Court seeking to halt the SIR process. Dr Thiagarajan clarified that while the DMK doesn't oppose the concept of electoral roll revision, they find serious issues with its current implementation timeline and methodology.

"Why aren't voters who participated in the 2002 and 2005 SIR exercises being automatically included now?" questioned Dr Thiagarajan, highlighting a fundamental concern. "Nearly 33% of eligible voters in my constituency must now undergo revalidation, creating an administrative nightmare."

Dr Thiagarajan emphasized the impracticality of conducting such an extensive exercise during the monsoon season with insufficient preparation time before upcoming elections. He criticized the workload placed on untrained EC staff who must balance their regular duties alongside these additional electoral responsibilities.

The minister challenged the EC's claims about form distribution in Madurai, suggesting actual numbers were significantly lower than officially reported.

A major point of contention involves data transparency. "Previously, the EC provided voter lists in Excel format. Now they only supply scanned PDFs, making it impossible to analyze for duplications or irregularities. Who benefits from this decreased transparency?" he asked.

Dr Thiagarajan also pointed to discrepancies between polling and counting figures, alleging the EC has withheld crucial Form 17 data. "This lack of transparency from a foundational democratic institution represents a disturbing low point," he remarked.

Regarding similar challenges in Bihar where 65 lakh names were removed from electoral rolls, Dr Thiagarajan noted that Tamil Nadu's Supreme Court petition would present "different and additional arguments." He acknowledged the Court's directive to accept Aadhaar as valid documentation as a positive development.

The minister emphasized that unlike previous SIR exercises in 2002 and 2005, the current revision is problematically scheduled during a pre-election year. "Conduct SIR when there's no immediate risk of disenfranchisement," he advised.

"The EC lacks adequate full-time staff and proper training resources. The SIR application has significant shortcomings. How can such an extensive process be completed within weeks when even well-established government operations struggle with similar timeframes?" he questioned.

Drawing parallels to demonetization, Dr Thiagarajan called the 30-60 day implementation window unrealistic for such a comprehensive undertaking.

Countering allegations that Tamil Nadu is resisting the process, he stated, "DMK representatives are actively assisting Booth Level Officers, and anyone can participate in this effort."

Meanwhile, opposition parties including AIADMK and BJP have supported the EC's position, dismissing the DMK's objections as pre-emptive excuses for potential electoral setbacks.

The Election Commission has refuted all allegations, describing SIR as a "routine, legally mandated exercise" designed to maintain electoral roll accuracy by eliminating duplicates. The EC maintains that adequate resources have been provided and the process is being implemented uniformly across all states.