Chennai: Nine of the 13 recognised parties in Tamil Nadu, including TVK and DMK, walked out of ECI’s all-party meeting on special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls, protesting alleged irregularities in special intensive revision (SIR) exercise. While AIADMK and BJP participated, leaders of BSP did not turn up for the meeting chaired by chief electoral officer Archana Patnaik at the secretariat on Friday.Electricity minister C T R Nirmalkumar said TVK was always opposed to SIR. “We had asked the ECI to rectify the irregularities during SIR exercise to ensure free and fair elections. Without addressing that issue, special summary revision should not be taken up,” Nirmalkumar told reporters after walking out of the meeting. He further said that the chief election commissioner (CEC) should resign for the alleged irregularities in SIR.DMK deputy organisational secretary S Austin along with legal wing joint secretary I Paranthamen registered their views on SIR in the meeting and walked out. “We demanded an explanation from ECI on the steps that would be taken to enrol the 74 lakh voters who were removed from the electoral rolls during the SIR in Tamil Nadu. We also asked when the re- enrolment process would begin. But there was no response from the authorities,” Paranthamen said.Noting that DMK has been demanding the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over SIR, he said DMK would continue its protest against SIR. Paranthamen said DMK was also planning to meet the President to submit a memorandum on the issue.Representatives of CPI, CPM, VCK, DMDK, AAP and Congress also walked out of the meeting, demanding the rollback of SIR and resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.Describing the political parties’ walkout as their “democratic right”, former AIADMK minister D Jayakumar said but equated their response to the criticism of EVMs when parties get defeated. He, however, said the AIADMK was not defending any individual, including Gyanesh Kumar, but was insisting that the ECI take appropriate measures to include the 52 lakh voters removed on the grounds of having shifted residence, four lakh removed due to duplicate entries, and 13 lakh categorised as permanently shifted.Representatives from National People’s Party attended the meeting.
