IUML moves SC against SIR in Kerala citing local body polls

New Delhi [India], November 17 (ANI): The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate halt to the Special Interim Revision (SIR) exercise currently underway in Kerala, arguing that it cannot be conducted simultaneously with the ongoing local body elections.
The petition stated that the State Election Commission has already notified the local body elections, which are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 9 and 11, while the draft roll following the SIR is to be published on December 4.
Conducting the SIR parallel to an active election process is contrary to established electoral practice and undermines the integrity and stability of the poll process, it said.
The IUML termed the poll panel's decision as arbitrary for stipulating unrealistic timelines.
It sought direction to quash the October 27 notification of the Election Commission of India, which announced the SIR process for the electoral rolls in Kerala and other states.
The petition filed by IUML through its General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty said the decision was not preceded by any finding regarding fraud, duplication, or systematic corruption in the Kerala rolls.
"Hence, the attempt to overwrite a valid, existing electoral roll and impose sweeping re-verification requirements is unreasonable and arbitrary," the plea said.
One month's time given for the process, especially when local polls are underway, is highly insufficient, the plea stated, adding that the process is designed in such an impractical way as to cause the mass deletion of voters.
Seeking a stay of the process, the plea also gave reference to the incident in Kerala on Sunday about the death of a Booth Level Officer, Aneesh George.
The officer's death was allegedly due to suicide triggered by the extreme work pressure arising from the SIR.
ECI had last month announced that it will conduct the second phase of SIR of electoral rolls across 12 states and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026.
The exercise will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. (ANI)