In a major overhaul of its organisational structure, the DMK on Saturday introduced age and tenure limits for party functionaries and increased the number of organisational districts from 77 to 110.The move follows the party’s defeat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections held in April, and is aimed at strengthening its organisational machinery and providing greater opportunities to younger leaders.The decisions were taken at the party’s executive committee meeting chaired by DMK President M K Stalin.Under the new framework, branch secretaries will have a maximum age limit of 45 and will be allowed to serve for only two terms. In Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Salem, new branch-level units will be created within municipal areas. Similar arrangements may be introduced in other corporations depending on local requirements.The maximum age for ward-level secretaries in municipal, town and other urban party units has been fixed at 50, with a two-term limit. For town panchayat, area, town and union-level secretaries, the upper age limit will be 60, and office-bearers at these levels will also be restricted to two terms.Addressing the meeting, Stalin acknowledged that the changes would be “stringent” and even “difficult” for some to accept.”The functioning of our party office-bearers is also one of the reasons for our defeat. We must first acknowledge our mistakes. We are going to make several changes in the party’s organisational structure. They will certainly be stringent, and for some, they may even be difficult to accept,” the former Tamil Nadu chief minister said.“Going forward, we are going to introduce age limits and terms of office for various organisational posts, according to the responsibilities involved. We are going to give a larger number of organisational responsibilities to newcomers. We can regain political success only by restructuring the party. We must carry out the organisational reforms as quickly as possible,” he added.The party has also decided to reorganise its district structure around revenue districts, broadly creating one party district for every two assembly constituencies.If a revenue district is left with only one Assembly constituency after the reorganisation, that constituency will be attached to another suitable party district within the same revenue district.The maximum age for district secretaries has been fixed at 70. However, unlike most lower-level posts, district secretaries will be permitted to hold the position for up to three terms, the party said.The number of organisational districts will consequently rise from the existing 77 to 110. With the expansion of district-level units, the party has decided that the separate post of city secretary will no longer be required.Party officials said 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 transition.The standalone post of “city secretary” in major urban centres such as Coimbatore and Tambaram has also been abolished. Instead, urban zones will be redrawn based on voter density, with Chennai Corporation Area Committees averaging 40,000 voters and those in other corporations averaging 30,000 voters per committee.