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by IANS |
Kochi, Nov 13 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Thursday suggested that the Vijayan government approach the Supreme Court for deferment of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the state.
Justice V.G. Arun, who heard the plea filed by the state government, observed that since similar petitions challenging the SIR were already pending before the Supreme Court from Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, it would be appropriate for Kerala also to move the apex court.
Appearing for the government, Advocate General Gopalakrishna Kurup clarified that the petition did not question the validity of the SIR but sought only its postponement.
“The writ petition is strictly limited to seeking deferment of the SIR in Kerala,” he told the court.
The Bench then reserved its verdict, which will be pronounced on Friday.
The state government’s plea cited administrative and logistical constraints arising from the upcoming two-phase local body elections on December 9 and 11.
The elections, it said, would require deployment of about 1.76 lakh government employees and 68,000 security personnel, while the SIR exercise would demand an additional 25,668 staff.
“This puts a severe strain on the state administration, bringing routine work to a standstill,” the petition said.
The government also noted that while there is a constitutional mandate to complete local polls before December 21, there is no such urgency for SIR, as Assembly elections in Kerala are due only by May 2026.
Senior Counsel Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the ECI, argued that the revision was essential ahead of the Assembly polls due next year.
He maintained that the two election commissions were coordinating closely and that claims of an administrative stalemate were “wholly unfounded”.
The state government’s legal move follows weeks of political resistance to the SIR across Kerala.
In September, the Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution opposing the revision, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warning that it could become a “backdoor attempt” to introduce an NRC-style exercise.
Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan also termed it a “hurried and ill-conceived” process that risked disenfranchising genuine voters.
Earlier this month, an all-party meeting, barring the BJP, urged the government to seek judicial intervention -- culminating in Thursday’s High Court hearing.
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