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MDMK leader Durai Vaiko on Saturday launched an attack amid the DMK's demand to scrap the SIR system, asserting that the party should accept the public mandate rather than blaming SIR for its electoral setbacks.
Speaking to reporters following the inauguration of a bus shelter at Mannarpuram in Tiruchirappalli, Vaiko commented on the by-elections results in Dharapuram and Maduranthakam, claiming that the DMK's electoral performance would have been considerably weaker without the votes secured through its alliance partners, including the DMDK, Kongunadu-based parties and Muslim organisations. Vaiko's remarks came after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Parliamentary Party adopted a resolution demanding the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar from office and an inquiry into his conduct, accusing him of spearheading the systematic disenfranchisement of legitimate voters through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The DMK resolution further alleged that CEC Kumar had acted unilaterally and disregarded constitutional principles, despite opposition from the other two Election Commissioners. Stalin had previously demanded Kumar's removal and reiterated his criticism during by-election campaigns in Dharapuram and Madurantakam. The DMK further alleged that certain individuals associated with Congress were praising the TVK for personal benefits. It condemned what it described as double standards by both parties and cautioned them against provoking a political confrontation with the DMK, which is not part of their alliance. Under its resolution, the DMK decided that its MPs would submit a formal petition to the President of India seeking electoral reforms under Stalin's guidance. The demands include the immediate and complete scrapping of the SIR, the use of pre-SIR electoral rolls for upcoming elections, and the discontinuation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in favour of the traditional paper ballot system to restore public confidence in the electoral process. The DMK has maintained that its opposition to the SIR is rooted in concerns over the protection of eligible voters' rights and the need to preserve the integrity of the electoral process. (ANI)
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