DMK demands removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar; return to paper ballots
The CEC must be removed and subjected to an appropriate inquiry, said a resolution adopted at a meeting chaired by DMK president M.K. Stalin
On October 17, 2026, the DMK presidential meeting, chaired by M.K. Stalin, demanded Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar's removal. The party alleged that Kumar had overseen the deletion of voters' names during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), thus overriding objections from the other two Election Commissioners. A resolution passed at the meeting stated that Gyanesh Kumar should be removed and put through an appropriate inquiry.
The DMK also proposed a return to paper ballots due to concerns over the credibility of electronic voting machines (EVMs), as discrepancies between recorded EVM votes and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips arose. The party stated that public confidence in elections is waning because of the perceived failure of the Commission to maintain impartiality.
The DMK further decided to submit a representation to the President requesting the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) before the Assembly elections, and demanded that future elections be conducted based on existing electoral rolls.
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