Indian Union Muslim League moves to SC seeking immediate halt to SIR in Kerala

In a significant development ahead of Kerala’s local body elections, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate stay on the ongoing Special Interim Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party has argued that the revision exercise initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) cannot be conducted simultaneously with an active election process and would severely compromise the stability and integrity of the democratic exercise.

The IUML’s petition comes at a politically notable moment, as the party has traditionally been a key stakeholder in Kerala’s electoral landscape. Its decision to challenge the ECI’s move in the country’s highest court adds weight to the growing concerns over the timing and manner in which the SIR is being carried out.

According to the plea, the State Election Commission has already notified the local body polls, scheduled for December 9 and 11, while the draft electoral roll under the SIR process is slated for publication on December 4. The party contends that revising rolls during an active election period is contrary to established electoral practice and risks destabilizing the poll environment. The petition asserts that the exercise introduces “arbitrary and unrealistic timelines” that could result in inaccuracies and logistical chaos.

IUML has sought the quashing of the October 27 notification announcing the SIR, arguing that the directive was issued without any foundational assessment of electoral roll fraud, duplication, or systemic irregularities in Kerala. The plea, filed by the party’s General Secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, stresses that the existing electoral roll is valid and already in use for the upcoming polls. “The attempt to overwrite a valid, existing electoral roll and impose sweeping re-verification requirements is unreasonable and arbitrary,” the petition states.

The party has also highlighted what it describes as the impractical nature of the SIR’s one-month timeframe, particularly when local elections are underway. Such compressed scheduling, it warns, could result in mass deletion of voter names and disenfranchise large sections of the electorate. The petition expresses concern that the process is “designed in such an impractical way” that it would inevitably lead to errors within the roll.

IUML has further referenced the death of Booth Level Officer Aneesh George in Kerala on Sunday, which was allegedly linked to extreme work pressure stemming from the SIR process. The petition argues that such incidents underscore the undue burden placed on field officers and reflect the strain caused by the hurried revision exercise.

Last month, the ECI had announced the second phase of the SIR across 12 states and Union Territories, including Kerala, with the final voter list expected to be published on February 7, 2026. The revision spans Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The Supreme Court is now expected to consider IUML’s plea, which raises critical questions about electoral process management, administrative practicality, and voter protection issues that hold national significance as multiple states gear up for polls in the coming months.