Udhayanidhi Stalin alleges SIR targeting minorities, urges checks on electoral rolls

Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday accused the Centre of using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to selectively disenfranchise minorities and marginalised communities, alleging that the exercise has led to the removal of lakhs of voters across the state.

Addressing a press conference in Chennai, Udhayanidhi echoed earlier concerns raised by Chief Minister M K Stalin, claiming that the revision process was being misused to target minorities, Dalits and Muslims under the guise of an administrative clean-up. He described the exercise as a “deliberate attempt to deny voting rights” rather than a routine update.

According to the deputy chief minister, nearly 97 lakh names have allegedly been removed from the voters’ list across Tamil Nadu, with around 14 lakh deletions reported from the state capital alone.

Urging citizens to act immediately, he called on voters to verify their names on the electoral roll and re-register if required, assuring them of full support from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Udhayanidhi also launched a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of attempting to shape Tamil Nadu’s political narrative through strategies devised in New Delhi. Referring to Shah’s remarks about the BJP’s electoral successes elsewhere, he said such statements were intended to intimidate voters in the southern state.

“Methods that may work in northern states will not succeed here,” Udhayanidhi said, asserting that Tamil Nadu’s electorate was politically aware and resistant to pressure. He urged people to take personal responsibility for safeguarding their voting rights, warning that complacency could cost them their franchise.

The allegations come amid growing political friction between the state government and the Centre, with the Bharatiya Janata Party seeking to expand its footprint in the state. With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, the controversy over voter list revisions is expected to sharpen the confrontation between the two sides in the months ahead.

With IANS inputs