Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Wednesday that the state government will legally challenge the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, raising concerns about the potential impact of using outdated voter lists. The decision emerged during an all-party online meeting, with support from all parties except the BJP, according to an official release.

The SIR process, recently launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Kerala, involves Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visiting households to distribute and collect enumeration forms. The government and several opposition parties have expressed apprehensions about the move, particularly since it is reportedly based on the 2002 electoral rolls, despite a more updated list from the last Lok Sabha elections already being in use.

Concerns Over Using 2002 Rolls

CM Vijayan described conducting the SIR based on the 2002 rolls as “unscientific” and suggested it carried “malicious intent.” He emphasised that the legal challenge will explore how both the government and political parties can contest the SIR process in court.

Political parties voiced their concerns over potential problems arising from using such outdated electoral data. The Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, affirmed his agreement with the Chief Minister’s position and expressed readiness for the opposition to join as a party to the legal challenge.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan went further, terming the SIR “unconstitutional and anti-democratic,” suggesting that it could undermine the integrity of the voter registration system and distort electoral fairness.

Broad Political Support

The all-party meeting included representatives from a wide spectrum of political parties, reflecting widespread concern across the state’s political landscape. Attendees included:

• P C Vishnunadh (INC)
• Sathyan Mokeri (CPI)
• P K Kunhalikutty (IUML)
• Stephen George (Kerala Congress M)
• P J Joseph (Kerala Congress)
• Mathew T Thomas (Janata Dal Secular)
• Thomas K Thomas (NCP)
• Uzhavalykkal Venugopal (Congress S)
• K G Premjith (Kerala Congress B)
• Adv Shaji G S Panicker (RSP Leninist)
• K R Girijan (Kerala Congress Jacob)
• K Surendran (BJP)
• N K Premachandran (RSP)
• Ahmad Devarkovil (INL)
• Antony Raju (Democratic Kerala Congress)

Apart from the BJP, the consensus among political representatives was that the SIR could create administrative and electoral complications, especially with local body elections approaching.

Next Steps

The government plans to seek legal counsel on the challenge, including advice on how parties can participate if the matter reaches court. The Chief Minister and opposition leaders argue that implementing the SIR on outdated voter rolls could lead to disputes, errors, and allegations of manipulation.

With the BLOs already conducting door-to-door enumeration, the legal challenge is expected to unfold quickly, potentially influencing how the SIR process proceeds in Kerala. The decision highlights growing scrutiny over voter roll management and the balance between electoral oversight and administrative fairness.

Overall, the move underscores Kerala’s political consensus against the SIR based on outdated rolls, signaling a coordinated effort to ensure the integrity of the voter registration process ahead of upcoming elections.