Amid Bihar Roll Revision Chidambaram Flags 6.5 Lakh “Illegal” Voter Additions in Tamil Nadu
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has raised concerns over the addition of 6.5 lakh individuals, whom he identified as “migrant workers,” to the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, labeling the move “alarming and patently illegal”. This comes amid a significant political controversy surrounding the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar, which could see 65 lakh voters removed from the rolls.
Chidambaram accused the ECI of attempting to alter the “electoral character” of states and abusing its powers. He questioned the legality of enrolling migrant workers in Tamil Nadu, arguing that their permanent homes are in their native states, such as Bihar. “A person to be enrolled as a voter must have a fixed and permanent legal home. The migrant worker has such a home in Bihar (or another state). How can he/she be enrolled as a voter in Tamil Nadu?” the Rajya Sabha MP asked in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He argued that calling these individuals “permanently migrated” is an “insult” and interferes with the right of Tamil Nadu’s electorate to choose its own government.
The controversy is linked to the ECI’s ongoing SIR in poll-bound Bihar, an exercise last conducted in 2003, which aims to weed out duplicate, deceased, or shifted voters. The opposition alleges this process could disenfranchise a large number of genuine voters, particularly from marginalized communities. Chidambaram connected the deletion of voters in Bihar with the simultaneous addition of “guest workers” in Tamil Nadu, which is scheduled for assembly polls next year.
This issue has found resonance with political parties in Tamil Nadu. The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other regional parties have voiced their opposition to granting voting rights to migrant workers in the state. DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan stated, “Giving them voter IDs in Tamil Nadu will result in political change in the future,” expressing fears that it could alter the state’s electoral demography.
The Election Commission has defended the SIR in Bihar, stating that large-scale additions and deletions over the past two decades necessitated an intensive revision to maintain the integrity of the electoral roll. However, critics, including Chidambaram, insist that the ECI is abusing its authority and that the move must be challenged both politically and legally. The Supreme Court has allowed the revision process to continue but has urged the ECI to adopt a more inclusive approach to documentation
