All-party meet on SIR aimed at 'safeguarding democracy', all parties should join: Stalin
Tenkasi (PTI): The all-party meet over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is an attempt to "safeguard democracy" and all parties should attend it, setting aside political differences, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Wednesday.
The ruling DMK and its allies have been opposed to SIR and the government has convened the all-party meet to decide on the next course of action after the EC recently announced the revision from next month in the poll-bound Tamil Nadu and other states.
The Chief Minister charged the ruling BJP with trying to "snatch" the voting rights of the people of Tamil Nadu through such an exercise.
"I reiterate from this stage--voting is the basis of democracy. We will not sacrifice it at any cost. We will overcome the BJP's efforts like snatching the voting rights and vote theft and protect Tamil Nadu people's voting rights."
He further said, "Kerala has joined us," apparently referring to the opposition from that state CM Pinarayi Vijayan to SIR.
"All political parties should participate in this effort aimed at safeguarding democracy by setting aside their political differences," Stalin said about the proposed all-party meet.
Continuing his attack on the BJP, Stalin said, "We all know what happened in Bihar. If defeat is evident, then the BJP decides to remove the voting population in that State. They are trying to implement the same formula here (through SIR)."
"We have been opposing this conspiracy (of the BJP) from the beginning. I once again reiterate from this stage that the foundation for democracy is voting rights. We will never give it up under any circumstances," he said.
Referring to the heavy rains following the onset of North East Monsoon, he said the government is taking welfare measures on a 'war footing' and that the DMK regime had faced three natural disasters since coming to power.
"Nobody needs to teach us the measures required for the safety of the people. We have faced three natural disasters after coming to power."
The CM criticised the Centre for not sanctioning Rs 37,000 crore towards welfare measures.
"Did the BJP government sanction Rs 37,000 crore for the welfare measures? No. So far, it has not released the funds. Why have they not released the funds? Because, if they had sanctioned, Tamil Nadu would grow. But they do not want that to happen," he alleged.
The DMK Chief stressed that protecting the people was the government's duty, with or without central funds.
"Whatever trouble they give, nobody can stop the development of the State," he said.
Taking potshots at AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on paddy procurement, he accused Palaniswami of making false claims that the government did not procure paddy from the farmers.
"I have issued orders to ensure that paddy does not go waste amid widespread rainfall in the State. Based on this, in the last 4 years, procurement of paddy from the farmers has gone up as compared to the previous regime", he said.
Citing statistics, he said in the last four years 1.70 crore metric tonne of paddy has been procured from the farmers, averaging 42.61 lakh metric tonne annually. "But, in the previous regime, it stood at 22.70 lakh metric tonne a year," he said.
On the occasion, Stalin inaugurated 17 projects completed at a cost of Rs 1,020 crore.
He also took part in the ground-breaking ceremony for 83 new projects in the district. Later, he disbursed welfare assistance to 2.44 lakh beneficiaries costing Rs 587.39 crore to the exchequer, an official release said.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
