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A bench of Justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Election Commission (EC) on all the fresh petitions filed by various political leaders challenging the SIR exercise in different states on different grounds.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Kerala government, challenged the conduct of the SIR of the voter list in Kerala along with the local body elections being held in the state, saying there was some urgency involved in the matter.
The bench directed that the petitions challenging the SIR process in Kerala will be listed on November 26 and the remaining petitions challenging the voter list revision process in other states will be heard in the first or second week of December. Justice Kant said it is good that political parties, rather than private individuals, are now coming forward to challenge this practice.
The top court is already hearing petitions challenging the validity of the Election Commission’s decision to conduct the all-India SIR exercise.
On November 11, the top court sought separate responses from the Election Commission on petitions filed by DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders challenging the SIR of voter lists in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively. The Kerala government’s plea states that the state as an entity is of the view that SIR, especially the manner in which it is being carried out, is not conducive to the democratic politics of the country.
“The State requests this Court to reserve its right to challenge the process of the SIR in appropriate proceedings, if deemed necessary. However, the State’s grievance highlighted in this writ petition is limited to the request for postponement of the SIR in Kerala.”
The state government further said that the postponement has been sought because holding of SIRs along with elections to Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGIs) will adversely impact the smooth conduct of the said elections and possibly create administrative gridlock in the state.
The Kerala government further said that there are 1200 LSGIs in the state, made up of 941 gram panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 87 municipalities and six corporations.
It said that the Kerala State Election Commission has decided to hold general elections for LSGI in the state on December 9 and 11.
“Notification for the election is scheduled to be issued on November 14, 2025. The last date for submission of nominations is November 21, 2025 and the date for withdrawal of nominations is November 24, 2025. The date for scrutiny of nominations is November 22, 2025. Counting will take place on December 13, 2025 and the last date for completion of elections is December 18, 2025.” It said.
Similarly, petitioner PK Kunhalikutty, general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), sought a direction to the Center to quash the Election Commission’s October 27, 2025 notification directing the introduction of SIR of voter lists in Kerala.
His plea said this practice has been started by the election panel despite the completion of a comprehensive Special Summary Revision (SSR) in Kerala in 2025, which mandates de novo verification of all existing voters.
“The said SSR ended with the publication of the final voters’ list on January 6, 2025 and is under continuous revision under Rule 21A of the Voters’ Registration Rules, 1960. Therefore, there is no factual or administrative need to reopen the voters’ list under special intensive vetting,” the petition said.
It said that the EC notification, apart from violating various provisions of the Constitution, is also bad for the reason that the duration of the SIR in Kerala and the timing of the SIR are laden with ulterior motives.
Congress MP Tanuj Punia has also challenged the conduct of the SIR exercise in Uttar Pradesh, while former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has challenged the SIR exercise in the Union Territory.