Kochi, Nov 13 – Kerala’s state government asked the High Court for a temporary halt to the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. The petition, filed before Justice V.G. Arun, says the state is not contesting the revision’s validity, only that it should be postponed.
The government argues that the SIR is straining staff and creating shortages. Officials are already busy with other important duties, and the extra workload could push genuine voters—especially from marginalised communities—out of the rolls.
Kerala’s political leaders back the petition. In September, the state assembly unanimously rejected the SIR. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called the drive “unusual” and warned that it could be an indirect way to push a National Register of Citizens‑style exercise. Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan described the move as “hurried and ill‑conceived” and a risk to voters’ rights.
An all‑party meeting, held by the state government (but excluding the BJP), urged legal action against the revision. Acting on that consensus, the government now seeks an immediate stay in the High Court. The Supreme Court is not a target of this appeal.
The request comes as SIR enumeration has already begun across Kerala. It does not affect the two‑phase local body elections scheduled for December 9 and 11, which remain unrelated to the vote‑roll review.
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