The Kerala government has announced an urgent all-party meeting on November 5 to address escalating tensions over the Election Commission’s decision to proceed with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, despite opposition from the state legislature. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan confirmed the move on Wednesday, signalling a united political front against what state leaders describe as a premature and contentious revision drive.

The meeting will be held at 4 pm and aims to bring together all major political parties to formulate a collective response. The decision comes amid rising concern that the SIR exercise—launched by the Election Commission across several states—may disrupt ongoing preparations for the upcoming local body elections in Kerala. State leaders argue that the timing of the revision could cause confusion among voters and officials, potentially affecting electoral outcomes.

Earlier in the day, representatives of nearly all recognised political parties attended a meeting convened by Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar. At the session, parties such as the Congress, CPI, Muslim League, Kerala Congress factions and RSP strongly urged the CEO to request a postponement of the SIR. The Bharatiya Janata Party was the only major party absent from the collective protest, isolating itself from the wider political consensus within the state.

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Concerns voiced at the meeting ranged from logistical issues to deeper fears over the intent behind the revision. CPM representative M V Jayarajan accused the move of being a covert attempt to introduce the National Register of Citizens through the backdoor, expressing serious apprehensions about its potential implications for Kerala’s citizen records. Congress state president Sunny Joseph reiterated the demand to defer the SIR until after the local body elections, stressing that the state cannot afford disruptions at a critical electoral juncture.

With a majority of Kerala’s political parties standing united against the timing of the SIR, the November 5 all-party meeting is likely to shape the state’s formal response to the Election Commission. As tensions mount, the outcome of this discussion could determine whether Kerala continues to participate in the nationwide revision exercise or formally challenges the EC’s decision, potentially setting the stage for a significant political showdown.

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