CHENNAI: In a bid to reform the party after its 2026 poll debacle, DMK on Saturday capped the maximum age of its district secretaries at 70 and limited them to two terms as part of a major organisational overhaul aimed at bringing in younger leaders following its 2026 poll setback.The decision was taken at the party executive committee meeting held at Anna Arivalayam, where the party resolved to restructure its organisation from the district level down to the ward level.Under the new structure, the party will have one organisational district for every two Assembly constituencies, based on revenue districts. If one constituency is left over, it will be attached as a third constituency to a suitable organisational district within the same revenue district.District secretaries will have a maximum age limit of 70 and can hold the post for only two terms.The party will have 110 organisational districts. Once the DMK president announces the districts, district executive committee meetings will be held and the new union, town, area and ward-level structures will have to be finalised within 15 days as per the guidelines.A second district executive committee meeting will be held in the presence of a representative deputed by the party headquarters to approve the reorganisation.At the next level, union secretaries will have an age cap of 60 and will be allowed to hold the post for a maximum of two terms. A union unit will be formed for every average 30,000 voters.Town secretaries and area secretaries will also have a maximum age limit of 60, with a two-term cap. Town units will cover an average of 40,000 voters, while area units in Chennai will cover around 40,000 voters and those in other corporations around 30,000 voters.Ward secretaries in municipal and corporation areas will have an age cap of 50 and can serve a maximum of two terms. Chennai corporation wards will have an average of 10,000 voters, while wards in other corporations will have an average of 5,000 voters.At the grassroots level, branch secretaries will have to be aged 45 or below and can hold the post for a maximum of two terms.The party also resolved to strengthen branch-level structures in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchy and Salem corporations, besides other corporations depending on local requirements.Town panchayat secretaries will have an age cap of 60 and can serve for a maximum of two terms.The restructuring also abolishes the post of city secretary, with the party seeking to streamline its organisational structure and strengthen lower-level units.The series of age caps and term limits marks a significant attempt by the DMK to inject younger leadership into its organisational structure and undertake an overhaul after its electoral setback in the 2026 assembly polls.
