IUML moves Supreme Court seeking halt to SIR process in Kerala
The IUML contended that conducting a special revision alongside an active election process goes against established electoral practice and undermines the integrity of the poll process.
The IUML contended that conducting a special revision alongside an active election process goes against established electoral practice and undermines the integrity of the poll process.
The IUML contended that conducting a special revision alongside an active election process goes against established electoral practice and undermines the integrity of the poll process.
New Delhi: The Indian Union Muslim League has approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate halt to the Special Interim Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala, arguing that the exercise cannot run parallel to the ongoing local body elections.
In a writ petition filed by IUML general secretary PK Kunhalikutty, the party has sought to quash the Election Commission of India’s October 27 notification announcing the SIR process in the state. The petition points out that the State Election Commission has already notified the local body polls, which will be held in two phases on December 9 and 11, while the draft rolls after the SIR are scheduled for publication on December 4.
The IUML contended that conducting a special revision alongside an active election process goes against established electoral practice and undermines the integrity of the poll process. The party termed the ECI’s timelines “unrealistic” and alleged that the decision was arbitrary.
The petition argues that the SIR was ordered without any finding of fraud, duplication or systemic irregularities in the Kerala electoral rolls. The party has described the revision as an “attempt to overwrite a valid, existing electoral roll and impose sweeping re-verification requirements,” calling it unreasonable and disproportionate.
“In the absence of any documented irregularities or a breakdown of the electoral system, invoking Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act for such a sweeping revision is ultra vires,” the plea states. It further argues that the RP Act does not authorise blanket deletions or neutralisation of existing rolls without individual examination of errors or ineligibility.
In an application seeking a stay on the process, the IUML also referred to the death of Booth Level Officer Aneesh George in Kerala on Sunday. It has been alleged that the officer died by suicide due to extreme work pressure linked to the SIR exercise. The plea notes that BLOs have complained of being on the field from 7 am to 8 pm, including weekends, and say it is “humanly impossible” to complete the door-to-door work required within the one-month timeline, especially when local polls are underway.
The petition highlights that a significant share of Kerala’s population consists of NRIs, making the process even more impractical. According to the IUML, the SIR has been designed in a way that could lead to mass deletion of voters.
“The only intention behind this SIR during the election period and with such compressed timelines is to exclude as many voters as possible from the draft list,” the plea alleges, calling the move a violation of citizens’ voting rights and the provisions of the Constitution and the RP Act.
Last week, the Kerala government approached the High Court seeking to defer the SIR until the completion of the local body elections. The High Court, however, refused to interfere and advised the State to approach the Supreme Court, which is already hearing matters related to the SIR. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has also decided to approach the Supreme Court against the ongoing SIR.