97 lakh names deleted from Tamil Nadu voter list

Following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), significant changes have been recorded in Tamil Nadu’s voter rolls. According to the recently released draft electoral list, nearly 9.7 million voter entries have been removed across the state.

Election officials stated that the move aims to enhance the accuracy, transparency, and credibility of the voter database. The deletions primarily include deceased voters, individuals who have permanently migrated to other regions, and cases of duplicate registrations.

As per ECI data, around 2.69 million voters were identified as deceased, while 6.64 million voters were found to have shifted their permanent residence elsewhere. In several cases, voters were listed in more than one constituency or had failed to update address changes.

The revision exercise involved extensive door-to-door verification, data cross-checking, and inputs from local authorities. Officials emphasized that all decisions were taken after thorough field-level validation.

Urban regions witnessed the highest impact of the revision. Chennai alone accounted for 1.42 million deletions, followed by Coimbatore (0.65 million), Tiruchirappalli (0.33 million), and Dindigul (0.32 million). Analysts attribute this trend to rapid urbanization, migration, and job-related relocations.

The ECI has clarified that the draft list is open for objections and corrections. Eligible voters who find their names missing can apply for re-inclusion within the stipulated period.