The Kerala government has initiated legal action in the High Court seeking immediate postponement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, citing administrative conflicts with the upcoming local body elections scheduled for next month.
Legal Challenge Against Electoral Revision
On Thursday, November 13, 2025, the state government formally approached the Kerala High Court through Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup. The petition argues that the timing of the SIR process creates significant administrative challenges when the state is preparing for crucial local body elections.
The Bench of Justice V G Arun has scheduled the matter for hearing on Friday, November 14, but has orally suggested that the state government approach the Supreme Court instead. This recommendation comes as similar petitions from other states regarding the SIR are already pending before the apex court.
Administrative Conflicts and Political Consensus
The government's primary contention revolves around the overlapping schedules of the SIR process and local body elections. Local body elections in Kerala are scheduled for December 9 and 11, creating a situation where the same officials needed for both electoral processes would be stretched thin.
This legal move follows a significant political development earlier this month. An all-party meeting held in early November had unanimously decided to legally challenge the implementation of the SIR in Kerala. The cross-party consensus emerged from concerns about the practical difficulties in conducting both electoral exercises simultaneously.
The state government has raised substantive questions about the methodology of the SIR process. Officials argue that using the 2002 voters' list as the base document for the SIR is "unscientific" given that the electoral rolls prepared for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections remain currently valid and operational.
Election Commissions' Response and Current Status
Both election authorities have presented a contrasting perspective to the court. The State Election Commission, responsible for local body elections, and the Election Commission of India, overseeing the SIR, have assured the court that there is no operational overlap between the two processes.
According to the election commissions, booth-level officers (BLOs) crucial for the SIR have not been assigned any duties related to the local body elections. Similarly, officials engaged with local body election responsibilities will not be entrusted with BLO duties during the SIR process.
The SIR process in Kerala has already made significant progress. As of November 13, which marked the ninth day of the SIR exercise, enumeration forms have reached 1.52 crore voters, representing 54% of Kerala's total electorate. The state currently has 2,78,10,942 registered voters according to Election Commission data.
Both election bodies emphasized that they are working in close coordination to ensure neither electoral process compromises the other, maintaining that the current arrangement allows for smooth execution of both democratic exercises without administrative conflict.
