The Election Commission (EC) is facing increasing pressure as the Kerala government asserts it lacks the authority to seek a deferment of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Kerala government has moved the Supreme Court, seeking a directive to postpone the SIR, citing a clash with local body elections scheduled for December 9 and 11, 2025. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the concerns, issuing a notice to the Election Commission regarding the petitions filed by the Kerala government and political parties. The court has scheduled a hearing for November 26 to further consider the matter.
The Kerala government argues that conducting the SIR concurrently with the local body elections would place a significant strain on resources and personnel, potentially leading to an "administrative impasse". The government contends that the same trained staff cannot be utilized for both intensive exercises simultaneously. They also highlight that the SIR requires an additional 25,668 personnel, further burdening the state administration and potentially disrupting the smooth conduct of the local polls.
The state government emphasizes the constitutional and statutory obligations under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and the Kerala Municipality Act, which mandate that local body elections must be held within five years of the previous councils' first meeting, with new members sworn in before December 21. Introducing the SIR process at this crucial time, they argue, could jeopardize the timely conduct of these elections. The overlapping deadlines, with enumeration for SIR needing completion by December 4 and data due by December 9, exacerbate the problem.
Several political parties, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian Union Muslim League, have also filed petitions challenging the SIR process, adding weight to the opposition. While the Kerala government is primarily seeking a postponement, these parties are contesting the legality of the SIR itself. They argue that proceeding with the SIR while elections are underway undermines the quality of verification and infringes upon the democratic right to vote.
The Election Commission, however, maintains that the SIR is a nationwide exercise, with a significant portion already completed. Halting the process midway, the EC argues, would disrupt preparations for the next electoral cycle. The commission has yet to formally respond to the Supreme Court's notice, but its previous stance suggests a reluctance to postpone the SIR. The Supreme Court's decision on November 26 will be crucial in determining whether the SIR will proceed as scheduled or be deferred to avoid clashing with the local body elections.
