Security forces deployed near Rajinikanth's residence following protest call

May 22, 2017

Chennai, May 22: Security forces were deployed near Tamil actor Rajinikanth's residence since Monday morning after Thamizhar Munnetra Padai, a pro-Tamil group, was planning to stage protest near actor's house.

Cadres of various pro-Tamil organisations including TMP and Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam were protesting against Rajinikanth's plan to entering Tamil Nadu politics.

Thamizhar Munnetra Padai announced that it would stage a protest demonstration in front of Rajinikanth's residence at Poes Garden in Chennai allegedly against actor's indication for a political plunge.

Police sources from the headquarters here told Deccan Herald that barricades were kept at the entrance of all roads leading to Rajinikanth's residence. Vehicles were allowed to enter the road only after it was thoroughly checked.

Earlier this week, Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam had burnt effigies of Rajinikanth in Gandhipuram, at Coimbatore city after the actor urged his fans to be ready for the "war"(political entry).

Claiming himself as a "true" Tamilian, Rajinikanth, who hinted that he is likely to enter politics, said if people ask him to go out of Tamil Nadu, he will only fall in the Himalayas and not in any other state.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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