Supreme Court to Hear DMK's Challenge on Tamil Nadu Voter Roll Revision

The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing on November 11 to consider the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) plea challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The DMK's legal representative presented the matter before a bench presided over by Chief Justice BR Gavai.

The court agreed to list the case for a hearing next Tuesday. RS Bharathi, the Organising Secretary of DMK, has filed a petition questioning the constitutional validity of the SIR for electoral rolls. The plea also seeks the annulment of the ECI's notification dated October 27, arguing it extends previous orders without due fairness, jeopardizing voter representation.

The petition emphasizes that if unchallenged, the ECI's directives from June 24, 2025, and October 27, 2025, might arbitrarily hinder millions of voters in electing their representatives, shadowing free and fair election processes in India. It claims the revision violates multiple constitutional provisions and could disenfranchise legitimate voters due to stringent timelines and documentation requisites.

The plea argues that prior updates, including a Special Summary Revision concluding on January 6, 2025, had already addressed voter roll issues in Tamil Nadu. It accuses the ECI of overstepping its constitutional mandate as outlined under Article 324, challenging the existing legislative framework for electoral roll revisions.

Despite the controversy, ECI announced plans for a second phase of the SIR across 12 states and Union Territories, including Tamil Nadu, with the revised voter list expected by February 7, 2026. The decision encompasses regions such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat, among others.