ECI Assures Supreme Court: Kerala’s Special Intensive Voter Revision Nears Completion, No Delay Needed
ECI tells Supreme Court Kerala’s voter revision is progressing smoothly.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that Kerala’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is progressing smoothly with no need for postponement despite concerns raised ahead of upcoming local body elections. According to the ECI, 99 percent of voters in Kerala have already received the enumeration forms, and half of these forms have been digitized, signalling that the process is nearing completion.
During the hearing on petitions challenging the SIR, the Election Commission’s representative, lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi, emphasized that the ongoing revision has been carefully coordinated with the State Election Commission to ensure that local body elections scheduled for December 9 and 11 remain unaffected. Only a limited number of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are involved in the current phase, further minimizing any administrative overlap or disruption.
The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, directed the Election Commission to submit a status report by December 1, with the next hearing scheduled for December 2. The Kerala State Election Commission was also asked to file an affidavit addressing the proceedings, while some petitioners requested an expedited hearing due to the proximity of forthcoming elections.
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Kerala’s call to postpone the SIR was based on concerns over the clash between electoral revision duties and local election preparations. However, the Kerala High Court had earlier declined to stay the ongoing revision, advising affected parties to approach the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, states such as Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have also raised challenges to the SIR, citing fears of irregularities and the pressure placed on BLOs, though other parties continue to support the exercise.
The ECI’s assurance that Kerala’s Special Intensive Revision is on track reflects their commitment to updating electoral rolls accurately ahead of state elections, building on lessons learned from Bihar’s recent SIR, which despite criticism was deemed successful by the Commission. The ongoing revision process spans nine states and three union territories, aiming for a comprehensive and accurate voter verification ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
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