A crucial hearing is set to take place in the Supreme Court today as multiple petitions challenge Kerala’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant will examine the pleas, which call for an immediate halt to the revision exercise.
The Kerala government has argued that continuing the SIR alongside the upcoming local body elections would cripple administrative functioning, warning of a potential governance crisis. In its writ petition, the Chief Secretary said that simultaneous execution of both processes is “impractical and destabilizing.”
Opposition to the SIR is widespread: apart from the state government, CPI(M), CPI, Congress, the Indian Union Muslim League, and MLA Chandy Oommen have all approached the apex court seeking relief.
The petitions also highlight serious concerns, including the excessive workload on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the recent suicide of a BLO in Kannur, which has intensified demands to suspend the revision.
