Monday brought Tamil Nadu’s polished electoral register to light after the rigorous Special Intensive Revision (SIR), prompted by EC and Supreme Court. A whopping 97,37,831 names were scrubbed, trimming the voter base to 5.43 crore.
District teams are disseminating granular figures, ahead of Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik’s detailed unveiling in Chennai. Primarily targeting the deceased, the drive also handled 66 lakh other cases, offering Form 6 redressal for rightful inclusions alongside newcomers.
Some 12.43 lakh noticees with flawed entries face a tight window to validate via docs and affidavits. The exercise mirrors EC’s January 30 protocol—rooted in SC rulings—for transparent deletion disclosures on mismatched info.
Lists grace panchayat hubs, open venues, block setups, sub-divisional posts, and ward centers, granting 10 days for disputes. In the broader SIR Phase 2 across nine states/UTs, 8% were culled; Puducherry finalized at 9.44 lakh on Feb 14.
Authorities hail the move as a bulwark against electoral malpractices, refining the rolls for authenticity. With review periods active, this signals a cleaner slate for Tamil Nadu’s democracy, promising equitable poll prospects.