Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M.K. Stalin has voiced strong backing for ongoing demonstrations against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls while sharply criticizing both the Election Commission of India (ECI) and key ally Indian National Congress. Chairing a meeting of the DMK Parliamentary Party in Chennai, Stalin outlined his party’s grievances, accusing the Congress of maintaining a contradictory stance on the revision exercise and rekindling debate around internal coordination within the opposition bloc. Four Core Resolutions Passed by DMK During the parliamentary party meeting, the DMK adopted four major resolutions: Removal of the Chief Election Commissioner: Calling for the immediate dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alongside an impartial inquiry into the conduct of the commission. Support for Student Movements: Extending full solidarity to student organizations actively staging demonstrations against the SIR drive. Opposition to Leader Arrests: Condemning the detention of allied political leaders and affirming support for their right to protest. Electoral Reforms: Demanding structural overhauls to restore transparency and credibility to electoral operations. Dispute Over SIR Leadership and Origin Tensions between the allies surfaced over who first challenged the SIR exercise. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi maintained at a Congress Working Committee meeting that his party’s sustained campaigns over two years brought regulatory scrutiny to the fore, the DMK rejected that claim. The DMK stated that Stalin was the first leader to raise flags as early as July 2025 following reports of large-scale voter roll deletions in Bihar. The regional party highlighted its participation in the Bihar Voter Rights Yatra, attended by DMK Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, questioning the moral authority of Congress to claim sole ownership of the issue. DMK MP A. Raja stated that his party has consistently resisted the revision both inside and outside Parliament, noting that Stalin had previously written to several Chief Ministers to build consensus on the issue. Allegations of State-Wise Inconsistency The DMK alleged that the Congress has adopted a dual posture: vocally criticizing the SIR at the national level while remaining relatively passive in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The DMK maintained that procedural discrepancies in voter lists must be addressed with equal rigor across all jurisdictions without selective political postures. The party also referenced past electoral missteps during seat-sharing negotiations in Bihar, pointing to moments where alliance partners fielded candidates against each other, as well as the independent electoral path taken by Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Objections to ECI Timelines and Critique of TVK The DMK reaffirmed its objections to the Election Commission’s decision to schedule the revision across 12 states in November and December, reiterating that conducting such exercises during major festivals and the monsoon season disrupts both administration and citizen participation. Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi joined demonstrations in Chennai to express solidarity with detained leaders and student activists. The DMK also took aim at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay, questioning his reluctance to take a definitive public stance against the SIR process or support demands concerning the commission’s top leadership despite attending recent public demonstrations. Post navigation Brazil’s Congress Passes Landmark 40-Hour Workweek Reform Ahead of Presidential Run-Off
