Major TN parties walk out of ECI all-party meet on SSR, demand CEC’s resignation
TVK and its alliance partners, including Congress, Left parties and VCK, protested against the revision process and sought the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar before walking out
A majority of political parties, including the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), staged a walkout from an all-party meeting convened by the Election Commission of India to discuss the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik, was held at the Secretariat in Chennai. Representatives of 13 recognised state and national parties had been invited. The parties that attended the meeting included TVK, DMK, AIADMK, BJP, Congress, CPI, CPM, VCK, DMDK, Naam Tamilar Katchi and others.
CEC resignation demand sparks walkout
TVK was represented by Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar. The DMK’s representatives included Austin and Paranthaman, while the AIADMK was represented by Jayakumar and Danapal. The BJP’s team comprised Karate Thiagarajan and KS Radhakrishnan. Other parties also sent their representatives.
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During discussions on the proposed SSR, with January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date and January 4, 2027, as the scheduled date for publication of the final electoral roll, several parties raised objections, citing concerns over irregularities in the earlier Special Intensive Revision (SIR) . TVK and its alliance partners, including Congress, the Communist parties and VCK, protested against the revision process and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before walking out.
DMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi representatives also expressed their views before walking out. According to accounts of the meeting, representatives of TVK, DMK, Congress, CPM, CPI, VCK, Aam Aadmi Party, DMDK and Naam Tamilar Katchi joined the walkout. The demand for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner was cited as the primary reason.
The walkout by a majority of parties created a stir at the all-party meeting. With the Bahujan Samaj Party absent and most of the other parties having walked out, the consultation continued only with representatives of the AIADMK and BJP.
TVK, DMK target Election Commission
Speaking after the walkout, TVK Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said major errors had occurred during the SIR. “SIR has only created hidden ways for those who can win. In this situation, the Special Summary Revision (SSR) is unnecessary. First, the mistakes that have happened must be corrected. We conveyed this and walked out,” he said. He added, “We walked out of the all-party meeting demanding that the Chief Election Commissioner resign. TVK was the first to oppose SIR. Without SIR, we would have won 160 seats.”
DMK former MLA Paranthaman, who attended the meeting, told reporters that the party had raised people’s concerns before walking out. “Various parties expressed their views before walking out. We questioned how the irregularities caused by SIR would be corrected and how deleted voters would be reinstated. The Election Commission must make the process accessible to voters, as several obstacles are being placed in the way of adding names to the rolls. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar must resign. The Election Commission’s actions appear to lack credibility and transparency, making the entire exercise an eyewash. DMK will support all processes that are democratic. MK Stalin was the first leader from Tamil Nadu to participate in the protest against SIR in Bihar,” he said.
AIADMK slams parties over walkout
Reacting to the walkout by the other parties, AIADMK’s Jayakumar questioned the consistency of their protest. “Is it ‘EVM zindabad if we win, EVM murdabad if we lose’?” he asked. On the deletions, he said, “Except for the deceased, 55 lakh people have been removed on the basis of migration. During the SIR, 26 lakh deceased persons have been removed. Where is the confusion in this?”
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The Special Intensive Revision exercise involves adding and deleting names, correcting addresses and making other updates to the electoral rolls. The walkout has highlighted sharp political differences over the timing and manner of the revision process.
