The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi staged a protest in Chennai on Monday against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party alleged that the exercise was a 'conspiracy' to take away citizenship.
Thol Thirumavalavan, MP and the VCK chief, condemned the Election Commission of India and the BJP government for allegedly trying to 'disenfranchise' the Dalits and minorities.
Speaking at the protest, Thirumavalavan questioned the haste in the SIR exercise implementation in Tamil Nadu, which is set to witness Assembly elections in 2026.
He charged that the exercise was a 'premeditated' initiative by the BJP to target and 'disenfranchise' voters from Dalits, Adivasi and minorities.
Notably, he had earlier sought the quashing of the Election Commission's 27 October 2025 notification initiating the SIR exercise in the State in the Supreme Court.
"The petition was filed under Article 32 and contends that the SIR is arbitrary, non-transparent, and unconstitutional, and violates multiple fundamental rights, including equality, dignity, and universal adult franchise," Live Law stated.
The petitioner states that the exercise being held hastily, with announcement coming less than a year before the State is to witness the Assembly polls, points towards a consequential threat of voter deletions on a large scale, particularly among voters belonging to marginalised communities.
The petition highlights that the design and timing of the SIR disproportionately burden Dalits, Adivasis, migrant workers and women who migrate to other cities after marriage.
Also, the petition starkly reminds that the working class, differently-abled persons, and people who lack solid and formal documentation or digital access face a severe burden, participating in the exercise.
Stating that the right to vote is a 'constitutional right' under Article 326, the petitioner states that the SIR effectively creates a 'restricted franchise' by imposing 'procedural burdens'.
