With the deletion of nearly one crore names from the voter list in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the voter base in Tamil Nadu has been pushed to the level it was 11 years ago.
A whopping 97, 37, 831 names have been removed from the 2025 electoral rolls in the SIR carried out in the state, which effectively brings down the electoral base from 6,41,14, 587 to 5,45,76,756 eligible voters. The deletions included names of 25,94,672 persons listed as deceased, dual entries 3,98,278 and those who have shifted 66,44,881. Of the 38 districts in the state, Chennai accounted for the highest number of deletions with 14.5 lakh names and the backward Ariyalur district had the lowest with 24,368 names being removed.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, the electoral base of the state was 6,18,90,346 voters while it was 6,29,43,512 in the 2021 Assembly election. In both the DMK emerged victorious. Then, in the 2019 parliamentary poll, there were 5,91,23,197 voters and the 2016 Assembly election had a total electorate of 5,82,62,973 persons. In the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, it was 5,37,52,682, while it was 4,71,16,687 voters in the 2011 Assembly election.
Now, the SIR exercise has brought down the voter base nearly to what it was in the 2014 LS election, pushing it down by 11 years. As per the post-SIR Draft Electoral Rolls, the deceased who account for 26,94,672 and the 3,98,278 removed for dual entry could never get into the voter list. Both account for 30,92,950 names. But the 66,44,881 persons who have shifted have the opportunity to apply with necessary documents and become voters. Even in this there could be deletions, bringing down the possibility to only 50 lakhs, say officials engaged in the SIR.
Meanwhile political parties have flagged discrepancies over assigning the list of Polling Stations, making it difficult for the voter verification. But for Thoothukudi, the list of new Polling Stations has not been released online, it is alleged. The PMK has demanded that the EC release the new list on its website.