Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday voiced serious apprehensions regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls, citing reports that approximately 25 lakh individuals face exclusion from the list. He squarely blamed the Election Commission of India (EC) for the situation, urging immediate corrective measures to protect democratic rights.
CM Vijayan's Stern Warning to Election Commission
The Chief Minister emphasized that the fundamental right to vote must not be stripped away from citizens due to procedural or technical lapses. He labeled the Election Commission as the "prime culprit" for initiating the SIR process during local body elections without adequate groundwork or consultations with the state government and political parties. Vijayan insisted that the EC's actions lacked the necessary transparency, leading to a flawed list.
"Apart from legitimate exclusions like deceased persons, permanent relocations, untraceable individuals, or duplicate entries, there is a significant and worrying exclusion under the vague category of 'others'," Vijayan stated. "Even the EC lacks clarity on who these 'others' are. Denying voting rights is equivalent to undermining democracy's foundation," he asserted.
Historical Context and Current Crisis
The Chief Minister provided crucial context, noting that the last SIR in Kerala was conducted back in 2002. That process required individuals below 18 years (who are now under 40) to prove kinship for inclusion. Due to incomplete procedures from that time, around 2,00,000 people in one district alone are currently ineligible for the voters' list.
Vijayan demanded that the EC must guarantee that no eligible voter who was listed in the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of September 2025 is omitted from the revised SIR list. He called for all SIR-related information to be made publicly accessible and transparent on the EC's website for scrutiny by political parties and citizens.
Legal Recourse and the Path Forward
The Kerala government has already escalated the matter legally, filing a case in the Supreme Court. The apex court has directed the EC to treat the flaws in the voters' list revision with utmost seriousness and address the state's concerns. "The Supreme Court has directed that the flaws be taken seriously and our concerns be addressed," the CM reiterated.
He urged the Election Commission to review its approach, avoid undue haste, and ensure the revision process is inclusive. "The basis of the revision should not be to exclude people on technicalities but to include all eligible individuals, embracing democratic values," Vijayan concluded. The state government pledged to take all necessary steps to ensure every eligible Keralite finds their name on the electoral roll.
