DMK's Big Overhaul After Poll Setback: Stalin Brings Age Caps, 2-Term Limit For Party Posts

The principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu on Saturday unveiled a restructuring plan that introduces strict age caps and term limits for organisational positions.

The maximum age for Municipal/City/Town Panchayat Ward Committee Secretaries has been fixed at 50 years, with a maximum of two terms.

Source : PTI

Months after suffering an electoral setback at the hands of debutant TVK led by Joseph C Vijay, the DMK is set to undertake a major organisational overhaul, with a focus on younger leadership and tighter limits on party posts.

The principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu on Saturday unveiled a restructuring plan that introduces strict age caps and term limits for organisational positions.

The party's executive committee approved the resolution at a meeting held at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK's state headquarters. Party chief MK Stalin chaired the meeting.

DMK to Expand Organisational Districts From 78 to 110

Under the new organisational blueprint, the DMK will increase the number of organisational districts from 78 to 110. Each district will broadly cover two Assembly constituencies to enable more localised administration, according to PTI.

The party has also abolished the post of "city secretary" in major urban centres, including Coimbatore and Tambaram.

Urban zones will be redrawn based on voter density. Chennai Corporation Area Committees will have an average of 40,000 voters, while committees in other corporations will have an average of 30,000 voters, according to PTI.

Once Stalin formally releases the boundary maps for the 110 revamped districts, district executive committees will have to convene within 15 days under the supervision of the party headquarters to implement the changes.

Nine Resolutions Focus on Age Caps, Term Limits

The executive committee passed nine key resolutions aimed at restructuring the party's organisational setup following the DMK's electoral setback.

The new framework seeks to professionalise party operations and promote generational succession through strict age limits, a mandatory two-term cap for party posts and an expansion of organisational districts.

The maximum age for a Branch Committee Secretary has been fixed at 45 years. A person elected to the post can serve for a maximum of two terms, ANI reported.

Branch Committees will be formed in the corporations of Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Salem, as well as in other corporations wherever necessary, to strengthen Ward Committees.

The maximum age for Municipal/City/Town Panchayat Ward Committee Secretaries has been fixed at 50 years, with a maximum of two terms.

For a Town Panchayat Committee Secretary, the maximum age has been fixed at 60 years, with the post limited to two terms.

Stalin Calls Defeat an Opportunity for Self-Assessment

Addressing the executive committee meeting, Stalin said the party had lost an election but had not suffered a permanent defeat.

"Let us consider this as an opportunity we have been given to plan the future of the party. This is going to be a very important Executive Committee meeting in the history of the party. With your approval, we are going to make major and significant changes to the organisational structure of the party," Stalin was quoted as saying by ANI.

Stalin acknowledged that the functioning of party office-bearers was among the reasons behind the defeat and said mistakes needed to be openly acknowledged.

He said that instead of examining individual constituencies and simply replacing people, he had chosen to undertake a comprehensive self-assessment.

"Even if the mistake is committed by an individual, it is the 75-year-old party that suffers because of it. After a defeat, many reasons are put forward. Instead of examining each constituency individually, identifying shortcomings and simply replacing people, I decided that we need to undertake a comprehensive self-assessment," he said.