Tamil Nadu Voters at Risk: 15% Names May Be Dropped in Electoral Roll Revision

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The Election Commission of India has revealed that up to 9.7 million names, or 15.2% of Tamil Nadu's 64.1 million electors, may be deleted from the electoral rolls after the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise. This is the highest percentage of potential deletions among major states. The draft electoral rolls, published on Friday, show that 2.7 million voters are presumed dead, 6.6 million have shifted or are absent, and 0.4 million are enrolled in multiple places. Urban centers like Chennai, where 35.6% of the electorate is at risk, are more likely to see potential deletions. Genuine electors can still be added back during the claims and objections period, which runs from December 19 to January 18. Chief Election Officer Archana Patnaik assured that no names will be dropped without following due procedure. The five districts with the highest potential deletions are Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore. In contrast, districts like Ariyalur, Madurai, Dharmapuri, Kallakurichi, and Virudhunagar have seen the lowest possible deletions. The SIR exercise has become a political flashpoint, with the DMK protesting against it and the AIADMK supporting the process. The state BJP has urged people to file necessary forms to be included in the rolls during the filing of claims period. Tamil Nadu is one of 12 states and Union Territories where the SIR is underway, covering nearly half of India's electorate. The exercise marks the ninth such revision of electoral rolls since Independence. Among the states where the draft SIR has been published, Tamil Nadu has the highest percentage of potential deletions. Gujarat recorded a potential deletion percentage of 14.5%, while Madhya Pradesh is likely to see a deletion percentage of 6%. Uttar Pradesh is expected to have around 19% of its voters deleted.