Tamil Nadu parties walked out of a meeting over electoral roll revision.
They demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities.
Opposition parties have also protested against the revision in Delhi.
Various political parties of Tamil Nadu, including the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led alliance and opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), on Friday walked out of an all-party meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer over the special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls, on the demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik called the meeting at the Secretariat and invited representatives from recognised parties, including the DMK, AIADMK, TVK, VCK and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK).
The AIADMK and BJP took part, while the AIADMK said it wanted to raise its concerns and demands with the Election Commission, according to India Today.
The parties that walked out accused the Election Commission of lacking transparency and political neutrality during the previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
They called for alleged irregularities from that exercise to be corrected before starting another revision.
Speaking after the walkout, Tamil Nadu minister CTR Nirmal Kumar accused the SIR exercise of being riddled with errors and said the TVK had opposed the process from the start.
He claimed the party could have secured more seats in the state assembly elections if the revision had not taken place. “If it was not conducted, the TVK would have won in more than 160 [of 234] seats in the April 23 assembly polls,” Hindustan Times reported
Kumar said the party wanted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to be held accountable for the alleged lapses. “In continuation of that, demanding that he take responsibility, we sought Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation,” he said.
Protests Demanding Resignation Of Gyanesh Kumar
Delhi saw large-scale protests this month, with demonstrators demanding the removal of Kumar and the cancellation of the electoral roll revision over alleged irregularities. In response, authorities suspended internet services, shut Metro stations, and enforced prohibitory orders. Around 40,000 security personnel were deployed across the capital as officials imposed tight security measures.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led INDIA bloc leaders in the protests against the CEC. On October 6, Gandhi and other opposition MPs were detained during a march to the Election Commission’s office. The opposition has also sought a rollback of the revision.
