Stalin asks President to act against Election Chief over 9.7 million voter deletions

DMK chief M.K. Stalin has asked President Droupadi Murmu to move a parliamentary memorandum demanding action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for deleting 97.37 lakh voters in Tamil Nadu’s 2025 Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

What Happened

Stalin’s letter says two Election Commissioners reported that the deletions were made without their knowledge and called the moves unauthorized and illegal. The deletions affected Tamil Nadu and several other states, skewing results, weakening one party and strengthening another.

Reaction

Stalin wrote that the Election Commission’s seven‑decade reputation belongs to the people, not any office‑holder. He urged the President to seek information from the Prime Minister under Article 78 of the Constitution and to advise the Centre to facilitate a parliamentary debate. He also asked that Kumar be barred from exercising commission powers until the process ends.

What’s Next

Stalin requested that the 2026 electoral rolls not be used for any future Tamil Nadu elections or by‑elections. He called for the final rolls prepared after the SIR to be set aside and the pre‑SIR rolls restored, and demanded the cancellation of the SIR nationwide. Future revisions, he said, must follow the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, with adequate notice and a hearing for each elector.

Context

Large‑scale voter deletions during a special revision can change the balance of power in constituencies, raising doubts about electoral fairness and prompting calls for legal and procedural safeguards.