SIR begins in TN as DMK sets up helpline to clear doubts of cadres

Chennai: Booth Level Officers (BLOs) fanned across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday as the month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began, even as the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has challenged the conduct of the exercise in the Supreme Court. 

Despite terming the SIR as a “de facto” NRC and demanding its withdrawal, the DMK announced the setting up of a state-wide helpline under the supervision of Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate N R Elango to help clear doubts from cadres on the SIR. 

It also appointed in-charges for all 38 districts and asked cadres to get their doubts cleared from them or approach them in case of any difficulty they encounter during the exercise. 

Though the exercise commenced, hesitancy has been noticed among some personnel in going forward with the drive in view of the opposition from the ruling DMK. The state has over 70,000 BLOs. 

Political parties have instructed their booth level agents across the state to ensure that voters in their booths participate in the exercise so that their names find place in the draft electoral rolls.

“While we have challenged the exercise in the court, we can't be silent as SIR has already begun. We have told our agents and cadres to be vigilant. We've told them that every vote is crucial,” a senior DMK leader told DH.

Archana Patnaik, Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, said BLOs will visit every household to distribute enumeration forms from November 4 to December 4 and guide them in filling up the form.

“If BLO finds that any house is locked or closed, she/he shall make at least three visits. Electors may also download their Enumeration Forms and submit the filled-in forms online,” she said in an official release.

Dispelling doubts, the CEO said the dates of the visits of the BLOs will be shared in advance and widely publicised in the locality by the Electoral Registration Officers.

BLOs will collect the filled up forms and provide an acknowledgement in one copy of the enumeration form which will be retained by the elector, even as they will verify online submissions during their house visits.

The names of all the electors who have submitted their duly filled Enumeration Forms to the BLO during the H2H enumeration period will be included in the draft electoral roll which will be published on December 9.

The Final Electoral Roll will be published on February 7, 2026 after all claims and objections are considered. It also asked electors to take help of BLOs if required in filling up the forms and submit the duly filled up and signed forms to the BLOs as and when they visit their houses. 

As many as 39 meetings on SIR of electoral rolls have been conducted at District Election Officer level which were attended by 932 representatives of recognised political parties.

At Electoral Registration Officer level, 241 meetings were conducted which were attended by 3346 representatives of recognised political parties, Patnaik said.