Tamil Nadu CEO Denies DMK Influence on BLOs, Assures Transparent Voter Roll Revision

Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik has firmly denied allegations made by the AIADMK that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are being pressured or threatened by BLA2 workers associated with the ruling DMK. Addressing the issue in an interview with India Today, Patnaik said election officials are well aware of their duties and cannot be influenced by any political party.

Her statement came after the AIADMK alleged that DMK workers were interfering with the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process and attempting to influence deletions in the electoral rolls. Dismissing the allegations, Patnaik clarified that BLOs and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) operate under clear guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and are trained to carry out voter verification independently.

‘No Eligible Voter Can Be Removed Without Reason’

Patnaik strongly emphasised that concerns about mass deletion of voters—similar to what was reported during the Bihar SIR exercise—are unfounded. She stressed that no eligible voter can be removed from the electoral roll without a specific, documented justification.

According to ECI norms, every exclusion in the draft electoral roll must carry a reason. These details, along with the list of excluded voters, will be publicly displayed at all polling stations to ensure maximum transparency.
Voters can only be removed under five clearly defined categories:

1. Deceased

2. Absentee

3. Shifted residence

4. Duplicate entry/EPIC

5. Enumeration form not received

The CEO reiterated that “every eligible citizen must be included,” and no deviation from the guidelines will be permitted.

Progress on Enumeration Work

Providing an update on the state’s ongoing voter enumeration process, Patnaik said:

• 96.2% of enumeration forms have already been distributed

• Digitisation has begun, with 50% of forms received back

• Tamil Nadu has deployed 83,256 officials and 33,000 volunteers

• The state also has the highest number of BLA2 workers in India at 2,43,340

• A total of 68,467 BLOs are on the ground, supported by additional officers where necessary

• 327 BLOs have already completed their assigned work

She reassured political parties and citizens that the entire SIR process is being carried out strictly according to the Election Commission’s instructions, and any specific complaints of misconduct must be reported immediately for verification.

Patnaik concluded by reiterating the ECI’s commitment to a fair, accurate and transparent voter roll, urging all stakeholders to cooperate rather than speculate.