Fri Oct 24 07:18:15 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tamil Nadu Electoral Rolls to Undergo Special Revision Ahead of 2026 Elections
CHENNAI, October 24, 2025 – The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu will commence within the next week, in preparation for the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections. The announcement was made before the Madras High Court on Friday during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former AIADMK MLA B. Sathyanarayanan.
ECI standing counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan assured the court that the SIR, a nationwide exercise, would soon begin in Tamil Nadu. He further stated that the ECI would adhere to Supreme Court guidelines established in a similar case in Bihar and that consultations with Chief Electoral Officers have already taken place.
Sathyanarayanan’s PIL sought a complete and transparent re-verification of electoral rolls in Chennai’s T. Nagar constituency, citing concerns over wrongful deletions and erroneous inclusions of voters. The former MLA pointed to a relatively stagnant voter growth rate in the constituency despite significant population increases over the past 25 years. He also highlighted the narrow margin of victory in the 2021 election, where DMK’s J. Karunanithi won by just 137 votes, suggesting that irregularities in the voter rolls could have materially altered the outcome.
The ECI counsel responded that the petitioner’s concerns would be addressed during the upcoming SIR. The Division Bench of the Madras High Court has adjourned the hearing on the PIL for one week, allowing the petitioner to submit additional documentation.
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