SIR row: DMK accuses Vijay of trying to act as a standalone force

DMK leader TKS Elangovan slammed TVK chief Vijay's separate protest against the electoral roll revision (SIR), saying the DMK is already opposing it legally. He accused Vijay of trying to appear as a standalone force in Tamil Nadu politics.

DMK leader TKS Elangovan on Saturday said that the party is opposed to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and had convened an all-party meeting on the issue and alleged that Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay was attempting to project himself as a standalone force on the matter.

DMK Accuses Vijay of Acting as 'Standalone Force'

"We have gone to the court against SIR. We have conducted an all-party meeting, with 49 parties participating. And we have explained things to them, and we have also asked them to go to court separately. Many parties have filed petitions. We are against SIR, and we are working on it," Elangovan told ANI.

"But Vijay did not attend that meeting. If his representatives had come there, they would have also given some suggestions, which we would have accepted. Tomorrow he is going to an agitation against SIR. He wants to show himself separately, as if the whole people of Tamil Nadu are with him, and all other parties have no role in the future politics of Tamil Nadu," he added.

'Right To Vote Is Our Very Life': Vijay

TVK chief Vijay released a detailed video earlier in the day, expressing grave concern over the SIR process, warning that confusion and mismanagement could deprive citizens of their fundamental right to vote. The actor-politician cautioned that the ongoing verification drive has left many unsure of whether their names will remain on the electoral rolls.

Calling the right to vote "our very life," he said the process must be implemented with clarity and fairness. "The right to vote is a fundamental right given to all of us by the Constitution of India. A person being alive is proven by the fact that he holds the right to vote. It is not just our right it is our very life," Vijay said.

Opposition Alleges SIR Targets Underprivileged

The opposition in Tamil Nadu has been strongly opposing the SIR process, alleging that it is aimed at removing voters from underprivileged communities from the rolls ahead of major elections.

ECI Details SIR Process and Timeline

Earlier today, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that more than 95 per cent of SIR Enumeration Forms have been distributed across 12 states and Union Territories in Phase II. The first phase was completed in Bihar ahead of the assembly polls.

According to the EC, printing and training were conducted between October 28 and November 3, followed by the Enumeration Phase from November 4 to December 4. The draft electoral rolls will be published on December 9, with claims and objections open until January 8, 2026. The Notice Phase, which involves hearings and verification, will take place from December 9 to January 31, 2026, and the final electoral rolls will be published on February 7, 2026. (ANI)

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