CPI(M) Files Supreme Court Petition Against Tamil Nadu's Electoral Roll Special Intensive Revision

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge the constitutional legality of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. The petition claims the Election Commission's mandate is arbitrary and could disenfranchise marginalized voters, calling for the quashing of the October 27 order.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has taken its grievance to the Supreme Court, contesting the constitutional validity of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls initiated in Tamil Nadu. The petition, put forth by P Shanmugam, Secretary of CPI(M)'s Tamil Nadu State Committee, argues that the Election Commission of India's decision is arbitrary and unconstitutional.

This legal move seeks to overturn the Election Commission's directive dated October 27, 2025, which demanded the completion of the SIR process within just a month. According to the petition, the schedule—from October 28, 2025, to February 7, 2026—allows for merely 102 days to cover all critical stages, including enumeration, verification, draft roll publication, scrutiny, objections, and final list publication.

The accelerated timeline, as per the petition, undermines the essence of a thorough revision and violates the constitutional principles of fairness and reasonableness embedded in Articles 14 and 324. The plea also questions the statutory grounding of the SIR, labeling it a 'colourable exercise of power' by the election authority. Concerns are raised that the SIR risks wrongful disenfranchisement of authentic voters, notably among marginalized and migrant groups. The second phase of this process, covering 12 States and Union Territories including Tamil Nadu, ensures Booth Level Officers deliver enumeration forms to residents, commencing November 4. Similar legal challenges have been posed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regarding the same issue.

(With inputs from agencies.)