44 Parties to Move Supreme Court Against SIR

Chennai: A total of 44 political parties in Tamil Nadu have decided to jointly approach the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, terming the exercise “anti-democratic” and warning that it could lead to large-scale disenfranchisement ahead of the 2026 Assembly election.

The decision was taken at a multi-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday. Parties attending included the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), among others. The AIADMK and the BJP were not invited to the meeting, while actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the PMK, and the AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran were invited but did not attend.

In a joint resolution adopted after the meeting, the parties demanded that the Election Commission halt the SIR, contending that the process was being carried out even though a related case concerning Bihar was still pending before the Supreme Court. “The SIR is unacceptable… It should be conducted only after removing the shortcomings and with adequate time after the 2026 Assembly elections,” the resolution stated.

The resolution further alleged that the Election Commission was “acting as a puppet of the BJP-led government at the Centre” and that the revision risked stripping minorities and Opposition supporters of their voting rights. It also noted that the SIR’s schedule, between 4 November and 4 December, coincides with the North-East monsoon, which could hamper verification efforts in rural areas.

Although the TVK supported the legal challenge, it criticised the DMK for what it called “political hypocrisy”. In a statement, the party said, “It was our party that first raised its voice against SIR. Was the DMK asleep at that time, or in a state of amnesia due to its covert ties with the BJP-led Union government?” The TVK argued that the exercise could not be completed properly within 30 days given Tamil Nadu’s 6.36 crore voters.

The DMK and its allies maintained that the revision lacks transparency and may remove genuine voters from the rolls. They urged the Election Commission to retain the existing revision mechanism until clear guidelines and safeguards are established.