The principal opposition DMK unveiled a structural overhaul in its organisation on Saturday, fixing strict age caps and limiting term for party posts following its electoral setback in the April 2026 assembly election.
Instead, urban zones will be redrawn by voter density – Chennai Corporation Area Committees will average 40,000 voters, while other corporations will average 30,000 voters per committee. Once the party president formally releases the boundary maps for the 110 revamped districts, district executive committees must convene within 15 days under headquarters oversight to execute the transition. Aiming to professionalise party operations and foster generational succession, the leadership has introduced strict age caps, a mandatory two-term limit across all posts, and a massive expansion of organisational districts.
The party’s executive committee, which met at Anna Arivalayam —the DMK state headquarters —with its president M K Stalin in the chair, passed crucial resolutions to radically restructure the organisation setup.
The standalone post of “city secretary” in major urban centers such as Coimbatore and Tambaram has been completely abolished.
They may be transitioned into non-administrative state-level or zonal-level responsibilities in the party, making way for young leaders. The organisational overhaul will reduce the existing territorial powers of the current 77 district secretaries, and also drastically reduce the term in office, according to members in the party. Nearly 10 to 13 district secretaries are likely to be axed if the cap on age limit is enforced.
