The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday (October 27) announced the launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists across 12 states and union territories, including Kerala. The exercise, set to begin on Tuesday (October 28), aims to update electoral rolls ahead of upcoming state elections.

Why Kerala is opposing the move

Last month, the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the ECI to abandon what it termed a controversial exercise. The ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) jointly voiced deep reservations about the proposed revision.

Both alliances warned the ECI against undertaking actions that might infringe on citizens’ rights and stressed that any voter list update must be carried out with fairness and transparency.

Timing and motive questioned

The Assembly strongly objected to the urgency and timing of the Special Intensive Revision, calling it ill-intentioned as Kerala is preparing for the 2025 local body elections and the 2026 Assembly polls.

Lawmakers expressed suspicion over the ECI’s haste in implementing the process in poll-bound states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The resolution warned that the rapid rollout could undermine the people’s democratic mandate and cast doubt on the Commission’s credibility.

The Assembly also noted that the Constitutional validity of the SIR process is pending before the Supreme Court, which has intensified concerns about its legality.

Fears of exclusion and NRC link

A key concern for the Kerala Assembly was the risk of legitimate voters being excluded, a fear it described as the “politics of exclusion.” Legislators argued that the SIR could serve as a disguised implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The resolution further warned that the exercise might pave the way for reviving the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which bases citizenship on religion. Such developments, it said, would pose a serious threat to India’s democratic values.

The Assembly pointed to the SIR exercise in Bihar—described as reflecting a “politics of expulsion”—as a worrying precedent.

Concerns over unscientific process and proof rules

Kerala lawmakers also criticised the technical framework of the revision. The ECI’s decision to use electoral rolls from 2002—the year of the last SIR—as the basis for the new list was rejected as “unscientific.” Political parties had instead called for using the most recent rolls.

The resolution flagged the eligibility criteria for voters as particularly harmful to women, poor families, minorities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and overseas electors.

According to the new rules, individuals born after 1987 must prove that at least one parent holds Indian citizenship, while those born after 2003 must prove both parents’ citizenship. The Assembly said these conditions undermine the constitutional guarantee of adult suffrage, potentially disenfranchising those unable to produce such documentation.

Demand for delay and inclusion of ration cards

Before passing the resolution, political parties from both the LDF and UDF formally demanded that the SIR be postponed until after the local body elections. During a State-level meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on September 20, they urged the ECI to add ration cards to the list of acceptable identification documents.

Following these discussions, Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar recommended that the ECI defer the SIR until after the local body polls. He argued that the same officials involved in the revision would also serve as returning officers during the elections.