Author: Aditya Pareek | EQMint | Political News

 

More than 90 lakh voters have been removed from Tamil Nadu’s draft electoral rolls following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik Sharif said on Friday. The large-scale deletion, she clarified, was carried out after a detailed verification process and was aimed at ensuring accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the voter database ahead of upcoming elections.

 

The announcement came as the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) released the draft electoral roll for 16 Legislative Assembly constituencies within the Chennai district on December 19, 2025.

 

Draft Roll Data for Chennai

According to the draft roll released by the GCC, a total of 2,579,676 voters have been registered across the 16 constituencies in Chennai. This includes:

 

• • 1,247,690 male voters

• • 1,331,243 female voters

• • 743 transgender voters

The data of Tamil Nadu reflects a marginally higher number of female voters compared to male voters, continuing a demographic trend seen in several urban constituencies across the state.

 

Over 14 Lakh Names Deleted in Chennai Alone

Alongside the updated voter count, officials confirmed that 1,425,018 voter names were deleted from the Chennai district rolls alone during the revision process. These deletions were made for multiple reasons, including:

 

• • Death of registered voters

• • Permanent relocation to other constituencies or states

• • Duplicate entries

• • Long-term absence from the listed address

Election officials said these corrections were based on field verification, official records, and inputs received during the SIR process.

 

Statewide Impact of the Special Intensive Revision

Speaking about the statewide exercise of Tamil Nadu, CEO Archana Patnaik Sharif said that over 90 lakh voter entries had been deleted across Tamil Nadu. She emphasised that the revision was conducted strictly in line with Election Commission of India guidelines.

 

“The Special Intensive Revision is meant to clean and update the electoral rolls. Deletions are carried out only after proper verification to ensure that eligible voters are not excluded,” she said.

 

Officials noted that Tamil Nadu has a highly mobile population, particularly in urban centres like Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru-adjacent districts, making periodic roll revisions essential.

 

Opportunity for Claims and Objections

The Election Commission has invited the public to examine the draft rolls and file claims and objections within the stipulated period. Eligible citizens whose names are missing, wrongly deleted, or incorrectly entered can apply for correction or inclusion through:

 

• • Online portals of the Election Commission

• • Booth Level Officers (BLOs)

• • Designated election offices

Officials stressed that the draft roll is not final and that genuine voters will have adequate opportunity to rectify errors before the publication of the final electoral roll.

 

Focus on Roll Accuracy Ahead of Polls

Election authorities of Tamil Nadu said the scale of deletions reflects an effort to curb electoral malpractices such as bogus voting and duplication, especially in densely populated urban areas.

 

“The objective is not exclusion, but accuracy,” a senior election official said, adding that updated rolls strengthen the democratic process by ensuring that every valid vote counts and ineligible entries are removed.

 

What Happens Next

After the claims and objections period concludes, all representations will be examined and verified. The final electoral roll of Tamil Nadu will be published thereafter, incorporating approved additions, deletions, and corrections.

 

With elections on the horizon, the Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent polls, urging citizens to actively participate in the verification process.

 

The release of the draft roll and the disclosure of large-scale deletions underscore the scale and significance of electoral roll management in Tamil Nadu, one of India’s most politically active states.

 

For more such information visit EQMint

 

Source: The Hindu