DMK Adopts Resolution Condemning 'Mass Voter Deletions' By Poll Body In Bihar

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK has launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of acting in concert with the BJP to undermine free and fair polls through what it called "mass voter deletions" under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar.

At a meeting of DMK district secretaries chaired by party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, the party adopted resolutions condemning the removal of 65 lakh voters in Bihar despite the Supreme Court's warning against "mass deletions" without due process. The resolution described the move as "anti-democratic" and an attempt to "shake up the level playing field" ahead of elections.

The party alleged that the ECI, especially after the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel for appointing Election Commissioners, had turned "political" in the conduct of elections and voter roll preparations. The DMK accused the poll body of siding with the BJP's "electoral frauds" and "mocking democracy."

The meeting also noted that on July 17, five DMK MPs had met the Chief Election Commissioner with a memorandum urging corrective measures such as deleting only voters who had died, improving coordination with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), issuing voter roll manuals in regional languages, ensuring clarity in postal ballot counts, and accepting multiple documents like Aadhaar and ration cards as proof of residence and age.

The party urged the ECI to verify and finalise voter rolls in a transparent and impartial manner before initiating election procedures in Tamil Nadu and other states.

The Election Commission has asked Rahul Gandhi to file a complaint on alleged irregularities under oath, something Rahul has rejected. The Congress has slammed the ECI for attempting to act like a court. The BJP has denied allegations and claims the Election Commission acts on its own to ensure its purity.

A separate resolution celebrated the party's "Ooraniyil Tamil Nadu" membership drive, which Stalin described as having reached every household in the state. The campaign, the DMK said, not only swelled its ranks with new members but also sent a "clear message" that "divisive forces" and those "betraying Tamil Nadu" have no space in the state's politics.

The ruling DMK which has won three successive elections has kept its alliance intact and is hoping for a second consecutive term counting on its flagship programmes including the Rs 1000 monthly assistance and free bus rides for women besides recent outreaches. The key opposition AIADMK has revived ties with the BJP and has taken up issues of law and order, crime against women and drug abuse as key issues.