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Politics
DMK MPs to petition President to sack CEC, scrap SIR and restore ballot papers
✍️ India Today
🗓 18 Oct 2026, 09:16 AM
👁 11
A group of DMK parliamentarians plan to file a petition with the President demanding the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, the cancellation of the Special Investigation Report and the reinstatement of ballot papers.
Delhi: Several members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the Lok Sabha have announced that they will submit a formal petition to the President of India. The petition seeks three specific actions: the dismissal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the annulment of the Special Investigation Report (SIR) related to recent electoral proceedings, and the restoration of ballot papers that were previously withdrawn.
The DMK MPs argue that the CEC’s handling of the election process has compromised transparency, and they contend that the SIR was issued without adequate basis. They also claim that the removal of ballot papers undermines the integrity of the voting system and disenfranchises voters.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s electoral machinery, with opposition parties calling for broader reforms. The President’s office has not yet responded to the request, and officials of the Election Commission have declined to comment on the proposed actions.
If the petition gains traction, it could trigger a constitutional debate over the powers of the President to intervene in the functioning of the Election Commission, a scenario that political analysts say would have far‑reaching implications for future elections.
The DMK MPs argue that the CEC’s handling of the election process has compromised transparency, and they contend that the SIR was issued without adequate basis. They also claim that the removal of ballot papers undermines the integrity of the voting system and disenfranchises voters.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s electoral machinery, with opposition parties calling for broader reforms. The President’s office has not yet responded to the request, and officials of the Election Commission have declined to comment on the proposed actions.
If the petition gains traction, it could trigger a constitutional debate over the powers of the President to intervene in the functioning of the Election Commission, a scenario that political analysts say would have far‑reaching implications for future elections.