Delhi: The Kerala Government has approached the Supreme Court requesting a deferment of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI). In a writ petition filed under Article 32, the State argued that conducting the SIR simultaneously with the upcoming Local Self-Government Institution (LSGI) elections would severely strain administrative resources and disrupt the smooth conduct of polling.
The State stressed that it is not challenging the legality of the SIR at this stage and is only seeking a temporary suspension of the revision exercise in Kerala. The State currently has 1,200 LSGIs—941 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 87 Municipalities, and 6 Corporations—covering 23,612 wards. Elections for these bodies are scheduled in two phases on December 9 and December 11.
The SIR process began on November 4, with the publication of draft rolls set for December 4, giving officials just one month to complete the entire revision. Kerala argued that this timeline clashes with critical preparations for the LSGI polls. According to the petition, 1,76,000 personnel are required to conduct the elections, supported by 68,000 security staff. The SIR alone demands an additional 25,668 personnel, which the State says places an “unprecedented burden” on administrative machinery and risks halting routine governance.
The plea cites Articles 243-E and 243-U of the Constitution, alongside relevant provisions of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and the Kerala Municipality Act, which mandate that local body elections must be conducted within a fixed five-year term. Newly elected members must assume office by December 21. Kerala argued that while LSGI elections are constitutionally mandated, there is no such urgency for a special revision of electoral rolls, nor has the ECI shown “special reasons” for conducting the SIR immediately.
