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Summary:
Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK party has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of India challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories. The DMK argues that the SIR, with its stringent documentation requirements and short timelines, effectively acts as a de facto National Register of Citizens (NRC), disenfranchising legitimate voters and undermining the federal structure of the Constitution. They claim the process lacks statutory basis and consultation with the states, and disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. The party asserts that a similar exercise was already completed in Tamil Nadu earlier in the year.
News Article:
DMK Challenges Electoral Roll Revision in Supreme Court, Alleges “De Facto NRC”
NEW DELHI – The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, has petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The DMK alleges the revision process amounts to a “constitutional overreach” and functions as a de facto National Register of Citizens (NRC).
In a petition filed Monday, DMK organizing secretary R.S. Bharathi argued the SIR, scheduled to take place in 12 states and Union Territories, imposes citizenship-like burdens on voters, requiring stringent documentation within an “unreasonably short timeline.” The party claims this effectively disenfranchises large numbers of eligible voters, disrupting free and fair elections, and violating the basic structure of the Constitution.
The petition argues that the ECI’s actions bypass statutory safeguards, reduce states to mere implementing agencies, and lack consultation with the states involved. It highlights that Tamil Nadu already conducted a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls earlier this year, addressing issues like migration and deletion of ineligible voters.
The DMK further contends that the SIR lacks statutory basis under the Representation of the People Act (ROPA), 1950, or the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and that the rules haven’t been notified in the Official Gazette or laid before Parliament, as required. They also raised concerns that Electoral Registration Officers are being granted the authority to refer cases of “suspected foreign nationals” to authorities without due process.
The petition emphasizes that the SIR’s rigid document requirements disproportionately affect vulnerable populations such as youth, migrants, women, economically weaker sections, and marginalized communities who may struggle to provide the required documentation within the allotted time. The exclusion of widely accepted government-issued identity documents, like ration cards and PAN cards, further exacerbates the issue, the DMK stated. This is the first challenge to the second phase of SIR in the Supreme Court.
First Piper 