Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday strongly criticised the Election Commission of India’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, calling it a “serious challenge to the democratic process.”

In a statement, Vijayan alleged that the poll panel’s move to base the revision on voter lists from 2002 to 2004, instead of the existing rolls, violated the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. “These laws clearly state that any update must be made using the current voter list as its foundation,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the State Election Officer had already informed the Commission that conducting a special intensive revision now would be impractical, as Kerala is preparing for local body elections. “Pressing ahead with the SIR at this stage, despite those warnings, raises suspicions about the purpose behind the move,” he added.

Vijayan also referred to the earlier SIR process in Bihar, alleging that around 65 lakh voters were removed from the rolls there. He claimed that the move amounted to a “complete violation” of citizens’ universal right to vote under Article 326 of the Constitution.

“The right to vote, which is a fundamental right of a citizen, cannot be taken away according to political interests,” he said.

The Chief Minister further expressed concern that the SIR process could be a “roundabout route” to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC), adding that similar criticisms made earlier had not been denied by the central authorities.

“While the constitutional validity of the Bihar SIR is under consideration by the Supreme Court, extending the same process to other states cannot be viewed innocently,” Vijayan said, alleging that the revision was being carried out “in a hurry to subvert the will of the people.”

He urged the Election Commission to refrain from decisions that “affect its credibility” and warned that institutions like the poll panel “should not become puppets of the ruling party at the Centre.”

Kerala is the only state that has passed a resolution in its Assembly opposing the SIR. Vijayan called on “all those who are interested in protecting democracy” to unite against the second phase of the revision process.

The Election Commission had announced on Monday that the SIR would be conducted between November and February in 12 states and Union Territories, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, all of which are scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2026.

– Ends

Published On:

Oct 28, 2025

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