Wed Nov 19 06:34:38 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Kerala government and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have filed petitions with the Supreme Court to postpone the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala, scheduled from November 4 to December 4, 2025. They argue that conducting the SIR simultaneously with the upcoming local body elections on December 9 and 11 will strain resources, lead to an administrative impasse, and hinder the smooth conduct of both processes. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the petitions on November 21, 2025.

News Article:

Kerala Appeals to Supreme Court for Election Roll Revision Delay

New Delhi – November 19, 2025 – The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions from the Kerala government and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on November 21, requesting a postponement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The plea cites significant resource strain and potential administrative disruption due to the simultaneous scheduling of the SIR and the upcoming local body elections.

Chief Justice B.R. Gavai agreed to the urgent listing after advocates for both the state government and the IUML argued that the “cumbersome” SIR process, running from November 4 to December 4, clashes directly with the Local Self Government Institutions (LSGI) elections slated for December 9 and 11.

The Kerala government argues that deploying the necessary 176,000 personnel for election duties, along with 68,000 security personnel and an additional 25,668 for the SIR process, presents a “near impossibility.” They contend that the finite pool of trained staff makes it impractical to conduct both exercises concurrently, potentially leading to an “administrative impasse.”

The state also emphasized the constitutional mandate to conduct LSGI elections within five years, as enshrined in Articles 243-E and 243-U, as well as statutory obligations under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and Kerala Municipality Act. While objections were made to the SIR, the government and IUML stated the petitions specifically addressed the practical logistics of running both exercises concurrently. The outcome of the Supreme Court hearing on November 21st will have significant implications for the electoral process in Kerala.

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