In a significant move ahead of the crucial local body elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has granted a one-week extension for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Kerala. This decision, announced on Friday, comes as the state prepares for a two-phase poll on December 9 and 11, with the vote count scheduled for December 13.
Court Petition Leads to Schedule Revision
The extension follows a formal request submitted by the Kerala state administration, which was permitted by a Supreme Court order. The plea was originally moved to the apex court by P K Kunhalikutty, the national general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and a sitting Kerala MLA. He sought an extension of the SIR schedule to ensure a thorough and inclusive revision process.
After holding a meeting with the Chief Secretary and the Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala, the Commission reviewed the submission. The ECI order stated that after carefully noting the officials' submissions, it decided to revise the SIR schedule for Kerala by extending the relevant dates by one week. This state-specific adjustment comes just days after the ECI had, on November 30, extended the SIR schedule by a week for the entire nation.
Key Revised Dates for Kerala's Electoral Roll
The one-week pushback alters several critical deadlines in the voter list preparation process. Under the revised timeline, the draft electoral roll will now be published on December 23, instead of the previously announced date of December 16.
Furthermore, the publication of the final electoral roll has been shifted to February 21, 2026, from the earlier date of February 14, 2026. The commission also announced that the last date for the digitisation of the enumeration forms has been extended to December 18.
Implications for the Upcoming Elections
This extension provides crucial additional time for election officials and political parties in Kerala to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the voter lists. The Special Intensive Revision is a meticulous process aimed at enrolling all eligible voters and purging obsolete entries, which is fundamental for the integrity of the democratic exercise.
With the local body polls just weeks away, this decision by the ECI aims to balance administrative preparedness with the legal imperative of having a robust and updated electoral roll. It underscores the Commission's responsiveness to ground realities and its commitment to facilitating a smooth electoral process for the upcoming decentralized governance elections in the state.
