The Kerala government has approached the Supreme Court seeking a deferment of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls until after the local body elections scheduled for December. The state argues that conducting the SIR simultaneously with the local elections would create an "administrative impasse" and disrupt the election process.

Kerala has around 1,200 local bodies comprising 941 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 87 Municipalities and 6 Corporations, covering a total of 23,612 wards. As per Articles 243E and 243U of the Constitution, and under the Kerala Panchayat Raj and Municipality Acts, the entire election process must be finished before December 21, 2025. The last local body elections were held in December 2020.

The government contends that the SIR, as ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI), is not suited to the current election schedule, particularly with the Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGI) polls approaching in December. The state clarified that while it may file a separate challenge against the SIR itself, the present petition is only to defer the process.

The plea highlights the massive manpower required for both exercises. The local body elections alone need 1.76 lakh personnel from government and quasi-government institutions, along with 68,000 police and security staff. The SIR would require an additional 25,668 workers. Assigning the same workforce for both would severely strain the administration and disrupt normal work.

The petition also points out that the SIR timeline overlaps with the election period. The enumeration deadline was December 4, data submission is expected by December 9, and the final voter list is scheduled for publication on February 7, 2026. Kerala argues that these dates directly clash with election duties and results.

The state argues there is no urgent reason to complete the revision now, since the Lok Sabha elections were held in 2024 and the next Assembly polls are due only by May 2026. Delaying the SIR would not cause prejudice to any party but would ensure the smooth conduct of the local body elections. The ECI has not cited any special reason for initiating the revision.

The Kerala High Court had previously declined to interfere in the matter, suggesting that the state approach the Supreme Court, which is already considering SIR-related matters. The Indian Union Muslim League had also filed a petition challenging the ECI’s notification for conducting SIR in Kerala. A Supreme Court bench is scheduled to consider petitions related to SIR.