The Supreme Court announced on Friday (7th November), that it will hear a plea by the DMK party on 11th November. The DMK is challenging the Election Commission’s decision to order a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, or voter lists, in Tamil Nadu.
The case was mentioned in court by the DMK’s lawyer, Vivek Singh, who pushed for an urgent hearing. The bench, led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, accepted the request. The Chief Justice simply said, “List it on Tuesday.”
The DMK had first approached the top court on November 3. R.S. Bharathi, the party’s organising secretary, filed the petition, calling the EC’s exercise unconstitutional, arbitrary, and a threat to democratic rights. The party is specifically asking the court to cancel the Election Commission’s notification from 27th October that ordered the SIR.
In their plea, the DMK argues that the SIR breaks several fundamental constitutional rights, including Article 14 (right to equality), Article 19 (freedom of speech), and Article 21 (right to life).
They also claim it violates the rules in the Representation of the People Act and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The petition was prepared by senior advocate and MP N.R. Elango and filed by Vivek Singh.
