As Tamil Nadu gears up for the 2026 elections, concerns over the integrity of electoral rolls have intensified following the release of draft voter lists by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on December 19, 2025. Across the state, nearly 9.7 million names, including those of first-time voters, were reported missing from the updated lists, triggering widespread alarm among citizens and political parties alike.

Among those affected is 37-year-old Chennai resident V. Lokpria, who has been voting at the same polling station in Mogappair since turning 18. “When I went to vote in the 2024 general elections, my name alone was missing from the list,” she said. Such incidents have raised questions about the accuracy of the ECI’s Special Summary Revision (SSR) process, highlighting the challenges faced by both long-time and newly eligible voters.

The deletions were most pronounced in urban centres, with Chennai seeing the highest proportion of affected voters. Roughly 35.6% of the city’s four million-strong electorate faced the risk of removal from the electoral rolls. This has prompted the ECI to launch a second phase of the SSR, running from December 19, 2025, to January 18, 2026, during which citizens can submit claims, objections, or corrections. Voters can use Form 6 to request inclusion, Form 7 to file objections, and Form 8 to update details for those who have changed residences.

To facilitate this, the ECI conducted special camps across Tamil Nadu over the December 27-28 weekend. More than 710,000 applications were submitted during these two days alone. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and election officials worked tirelessly to ensure voters were included. At Prince Matriculation School in the Shollinganallur assembly constituency of Chengalpattu, conservancy staff member Ramya, the BLO, said, “I’m in charge of 1,020 voters, and 850 names have been included. Several first-time voters aged 18–19 have been submitting forms during the second phase.”

Local resident P. Sekharan, who has been assisting neighbors in navigating the process, emphasized the importance of vigilance. “Four of my neighbors who shifted from Pallavaram have lost their votes here. We are making sure no genuine voter is left out,” he said. Similar reports emerged from other constituencies, including Tirupur and Coimbatore, where deletions were extensive even in minority-dominated areas.

While many voters successfully submitted their forms during the second phase, problems persisted in areas with high migrant populations. In upscale Chennai neighbourhoods such as Anna Nagar, supervisors reported severe deletion rates. At the Jaigopal Garodia Vivekananda polling booth, over 600 out of 847 registered voters had been deleted, attributed primarily to house demolitions and the presence of guest laborers associated with the Integral Coach Factory and nearby railway units. Despite efforts to announce special camps through public address systems, only a fraction of affected voters attended to submit their claims.

The issue also affected first-time and repeat voters whose names were inexplicably absent despite prior participation in elections. DMK booth-level agent Dhankalakshmi highlighted cases where voters had submitted enumeration forms with all required documents, yet their names remained missing. “At least 20 voters who voted in 2024 are missing from the list, and BLOs are actively looking into it,” she noted.

In southern districts such as Tirunelveli, proactive measures by the ruling DMK ensured nearly complete inclusion of eligible voters. At booth number 215, where 80% of the electorate comprises minorities—including 70% Muslims and 20% Christians—officials confirmed that all eligible voters had been accounted for, barring the deceased or those with duplicate entries. P. Chandirasekhar, a DMK BLA, said, “We have made sure not a single vote goes missing. This is in line with the instructions from Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin, who has emphasized safeguarding the electoral rights of women and minority communities.”

Similar diligence was reported in Nagercoil, where polling booths serve a population with 60% Hindus, 30% Christians, and 10% Muslims. BLAs and party volunteers coordinated with BLOs to track deletions, verify documents, and assist voters in filing the necessary forms, reflecting a concerted effort by the DMK to maintain the integrity of the voting process.

The controversy surrounding deletions has stirred political tensions, with the DMK attributing the issue to alleged attempts by the BJP to manipulate voter rolls in favor of the opposition AIADMK-led alliance. Critics have raised concerns over the potential disenfranchisement of marginalized groups, including women, minorities, and first-time voters, ahead of the critical state elections.

While the ECI maintains that deletions are part of routine voter list updates, the scale of the omissions has underscored the challenges of maintaining accurate electoral records in urban and migrant-heavy regions. Special revision camps, mobile teams, and outreach initiatives have become essential tools in ensuring citizens can exercise their democratic rights without obstruction.

For voters like Lokpria and thousands of others across the state, the second phase of the SSR offers a crucial opportunity to restore their names to the rolls, protect their electoral voice, and participate in shaping the state’s political future. Election officials have urged residents to verify their entries and submit necessary forms promptly to avoid disenfranchisement.

As Tamil Nadu prepares for the upcoming elections, the focus remains on ensuring transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness in the electoral process. With millions of voters at stake, the state’s election machinery faces the dual challenge of addressing past errors while safeguarding the integrity of future polls.

The unfolding scenario in Chennai and other affected districts illustrates the delicate balance between administrative updates to the electoral rolls and the democratic imperative to ensure that every eligible citizen has the opportunity to vote. The ongoing efforts by the ECI, along with active participation by political parties, civil society, and voters themselves, will play a decisive role in shaping the state’s democratic landscape in 2026.