SC seeks EC's response on fresh pleas challenging SIR exercise in Kerala, other states

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commissions decision to conduct the special intensive revision SIR exercise in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and other states.A bench of justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Election Commission EC on all the fresh petitions filed by different political leaders, challenging SIR exercises in different states on different grounds.

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission's decision to conduct the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and other states.

A bench of justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Election Commission (EC) on all the fresh petitions filed by different political leaders, challenging SIR exercises in different states on different grounds. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Kerala government challenging the conduct of SIR of electoral rolls in Kerala simultaneously along with the conduct of elections to the local body which is being held in the state, said that there is some urgency involved in the matter. The bench directed the pleas challenging SIR exercise in Kerala will be listed on November 26 and rest of the petitions challenging electoral roll revision exercise in other states will be taken up for hearing in the first or second week of December. Justice Kant said that it is good that political parties are now coming forward to challenge the exercise instead of private individuals. The top court is already hearing a batch of pleas challenging the validity of the EC's decision to conduct pan-India SIR exercise. On November 11, the top court sought separate responses of the poll panel on pleas filed by DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders challenging the SIR of the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively. The Kerala government's plea said that the state, as an entity, is of the view that the SIR, particularly in the manner in which it is being undertaken, is not conducive to the democratic polity of the country. ''The state prays for leave of this court to reserve its right to challenge the process of the SIR in appropriate proceedings, if deemed necessary. However, the grievance of the State highlighted in this writ petition is limited to request for deferment of the SIR in Kerala,'' it said. The state government further said that the deferment is sought for since undertaking of the SIR simultaneously with the elections to the local self government institutions (LSGI) will adversely affect the smooth conduct of the said elections and will possibly result in an administrative impasse in the state. The Kerala government further said there are 1200 LSGIs in the State, made up of 941 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 87 municipalities and six corporations. It said the Kerala State Election Commission has decided to conduct general elections to the LSGIs in the state on December 9 and 11. ''The notification for the election is scheduled to be issued on November 14, 2025. The last date for submissions of nominations is November 21, 2025 and that of withdrawal of nominations is November 24, 2025. The date of scrutiny of nominations is November 22, 2025. The counting will be held on December 13, 2025 and the last date for completion of election is December 18, 2025,'' it said. Similarly, petitioner PK Kunhalikutty, general secretary of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), sought direction to the Centre to set-aside the election commission's notification dated October 27, 2025 directing the initiation of the SIR of electoral rolls in Kerala.

His plea said the exercise, which mandates a denovo verification of all existing electors, has been introduced by the poll panel despite the completion of a comprehensive Special Summary Revision (SSR) in 2025 in Kerala. ''The said SSR concluded with the publication of the final electoral rolls on January 6, 2025, and continuous revision is ongoing under Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. There exists, therefore, no factual or administrative necessity for reopening the electoral rolls under a Special Intensive Revision,'' the plea said. It added that the notification of the EC apart from being violative of various provisions of the Constitution, is also bad for the reason that the duration of the SIR and the timing of the SIR in Kerala is loaded with ulterior motives. Congress MP Tanuj Punia has also challenged the conduct of SIR exercise in Uttar Pradesh, while former Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy has challenged the SIR exercise in the union territory.

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