DMK, Left parties walkout of all-party meeting in Tiruchi

Representatives of the DMK, Communist parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi on Tuesday staged a walkout of an all-party meeting, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The parties alleged irregularities in the earlier Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanded that these be addressed before the next revision.

The meeting, convened by Collector Pratik Tayal at the Collector Office, was held to discuss the rationalisation proposal on polling booths. About 13 national and State parties were invited and representatives of TVK, DMK, AIADMK, Congress, BJP and other parties participated.

Soon after the meeting began to discuss the agenda, representatives of CPI(M) and CPI staged a walkout. They were followed by DMK and VCK members, who raised slogans against the Chief Election Commissioner. However, the Congress, TVK and AIADMK remained.

Mayor M. Anbazhagan, who was the DMK representative at the meeting, said the electoral rolls of earlier SIR were flawed on many aspects. Several genuine voters were deleted without valid reasons. Mr. Gyanesh Kumar was responsible for it and, hence, the DMK had walked out of the meeting.

L. Rex, president, Tiruchi Urban District Congress Committee, said ne remained at the meeting as it was held to discuss rationalisation of polling booths. He would have walked out if it was to discuss special summary revision.