‘Gyanesh must be removed’: DMK demands CEC’s ouster, backs student protests

The Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is an exercise to revise electoral rolls. Electoral rolls determine who is registered to vote. The article presents SIR as a nationwide administrative process, but does not provide its full operational rules or a precise definition from the Election Commission.

The central controversy concerns possible voter deletions. The DMK says large-scale deletions were reported in Bihar, the first state where SIR was introduced. It argues that the revision could remove legitimate voters from the lists and therefore affect their ability to participate in elections.

The Election Commission announced on October 27, 2025, that SIR would be conducted in 12 states, including Tamil Nadu. The DMK wants the exercise scrapped and supports protests against it. It also wants pre-SIR rolls used in upcoming elections, reflecting its concern that the revision may reduce public confidence in the electoral process.

The DMK is demanding the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an inquiry into his conduct. The party accuses him of overseeing what it calls the systematic disenfranchisement of legitimate voters through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

At its Parliamentary Party meeting, the DMK adopted resolutions supporting student protests and reiterating that Kumar should leave office. The party accuses him of disregarding the Constitution, acting unilaterally and exceeding his authority. These are the DMK’s allegations, not findings established in the article by an inquiry or court.

The party’s wider demands include scrapping the SIR, using pre-SIR electoral rolls in upcoming elections and returning to paper ballots. Its MPs also plan to petition the President of India for electoral reforms. The demands come amid a broader opposition campaign seeking Kumar’s resignation and announcing a Tiranga march.

The SIR exercise is intended to cover 12 states, according to the Election Commission announcement cited by the DMK. Tamil Nadu is among those states. The article does not provide a total number of voters, constituencies or electoral-roll entries affected, so its numerical scale cannot be measured beyond the state count.

Bihar was the first state where SIR was introduced. The DMK says reports from Bihar showed large-scale voter deletions, which became the basis for its objections. Stalin opposed the exercise in July 2025 and later objected when the Election Commission announced its wider rollout on October 27, 2025.

The exercise therefore has a broad intended geographic reach, but the article supplies no nationwide voter figure. The DMK is seeking its complete cancellation and wants pre-SIR rolls used in upcoming elections. It has also decided to ask the President for electoral reforms.

The DMK’s central concern is that an electoral-roll revision could remove eligible people from voter lists. Anyone whose name is missing may face difficulty voting, so the party describes the alleged deletions as systematic disenfranchisement. The article reports these as the DMK’s accusations, not as independently proven findings.

Bihar provides the party’s main example. Stalin opposed SIR in July 2025 after reports emerged of large-scale voter deletions there. The DMK also objected to conducting the revision during November and December, citing the monsoon and festive seasons. It says those conditions could make the process harder for voters.

The party’s MPs repeatedly raised concerns in Parliament about the exercise’s effect on eligible voters. The DMK now wants SIR scrapped, pre-SIR rolls used for upcoming elections and Kumar removed. It says public confidence in the Election Commission has fallen to an unprecedented low.

The Election Commission of India is a constitutional body responsible for supervising elections and preparing electoral rolls under India’s constitutional and legal framework. Article 324 gives it the superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President. These powers operate alongside election laws and judicial review.

In this article, the Commission announced on October 27, 2025, that SIR would be conducted in 12 states. The DMK disputes how that authority is being used. It accuses Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting unilaterally, disregarding the Constitution and exceeding his authority.

The article does not describe the Commission’s full constitutional powers or the detailed SIR procedure. It does show the political consequence of the dispute: the DMK wants Kumar removed, SIR cancelled and pre-SIR rolls used. Its MPs plan to petition the President for electoral reforms.

Electoral rolls can be corrected through procedures that give voters notice and a chance to respond. Common safeguards include publishing draft rolls, accepting claims and objections, checking disputed entries, and providing clear deadlines and appeals. These are general electoral-administration safeguards, not procedures described in this article.

A practical process could require individual notice before deleting a name, local verification where necessary, and independent monitoring of high-volume deletions. Officials could also preserve earlier roll versions, publish reasons for removals and provide accessible help desks. These steps create a record and give eligible voters a way to restore their names.

The DMK’s demands point to the safeguards it says are missing or threatened. It wants SIR scrapped and pre-SIR rolls used for upcoming elections. It also supports protests by students and democratic groups. Any alternative should protect accuracy while avoiding wrongful removal, especially during difficult periods such as monsoon and festive seasons.

Accurate electoral rolls are the gateway to representative democracy. They help ensure that eligible voters can participate and that elections reflect the people entitled to vote. A trusted voting system matters just as much because citizens, parties and candidates need confidence that results follow a legitimate process.

The article illustrates this connection through the DMK’s response to SIR. The party says reports of large-scale deletions in Bihar raised fears that legitimate voters could be removed. It also wants electronic voting machines discontinued and traditional paper ballots restored, arguing that this would rebuild public confidence.

The dispute has now become institutional and political. The DMK says public confidence in the Election Commission has fallen to an unprecedented low. It wants Kumar removed, SIR scrapped and pre-SIR rolls used. Its MPs will petition the President for electoral reforms, while the party supports protests against the exercise.