Election Commission's SIR plan a threat to democracy, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday strongly criticised the Election Commission of India's decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Kerala and other states, calling it a serious challenge to the democratic process.

In a statement, he said the move raised doubts about the poll panel's intentions and warned that it could undermine public trust in the electoral system.

Vijayan pointed out that the Commission was preparing to base the revision on voter lists from 2002 to 2004 instead of the existing rolls, which would violate the Representation of the People Act of 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules of 1960.

These laws clearly state that any update must be made using the current voter list as its foundation, he said.

The chief minister noted that the State Election Officer had already informed the Commission that a special intensive revision 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," Vijayan said.

His statement comes a day after the Election Commission announced that the SIR will be carried out between November and February in 12 states and Union Territories -- including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal -- all of which are due to hold assembly elections in 2026.