By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has decided to seek legal redress against the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.
This decision was taken at an all-party meeting convened by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government. Al parties except the BJP extended their full support to the decision.
The move comes close on the heels of the decision taken at a meeting of Tamil Nadu political parties, chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, to approach the supreme Court against the SIR. The house-to-house enumeration phase kicked off in Kerala in line with a national-level schedule for SIR 2.0.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the all-party meeting that the Government would seek legal advice on the EC’s decision to go ahead with the SIR at a time when the 2025 elections to the local bodies were imminent in the State. The Chief minister also criticized the EC decision to take the 2002 SIR voter roll as the base document for the current exercise instead of the list updated for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls saying that it was unscientific and ill-intentioned.
CPI(M) state secretary M. V. Govindan identified himself with the opinion voiced by the CM. The meeting saw representatives of various political parties expressing concern over the EC’s decision to use the 2002 SIR list as the base document.
Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, for once, echoed similar concerns and expressed the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)’s readiness to implead in the case in the event of the Government approaching the apex court.
It may be mentioned that the Kerala Assembly had passed a resolution against the SIR and the EC decision to proceed with it when the local body elections were imminent in the State. Political parties, including the CPI(M), had registered their strong protest against the EC’s decision at two consultations with political parties held by the State Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U. Kelkar on September 20, and after the EC announced the SIR 2.0 schedule on October 29.
The meeting also witnessed political parties questioning the timing of the SIR and the decision to use the 2002 electoral rolls as the base document. They had also pointed to a possible operational overlap between the SIR and the work connected to the 2025 local body polls.
Expectedly, the BJP supported the EC’s decision at both the meetings. It urged the Government to ensure that the SIR does not affect the arrangements for the local body polls.
Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kerala Rathan U. Kelkar has directed the district collectors to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the both the SIR of the electoral rolls and the upcoming local body elections without operational overlap between the two exercises.
The CEO’s office had taken a decision that the Booth Level Officers will not be assigned any duties connected with the local body elections. (IPA Service)
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