<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala will hold an all-party meeting on November 5 to discuss further action to be taken in view of the election commission's decision to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state from November 4.</p><p>Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that even as the political parties and the election officials in Kerala appraising the election commission of the practical difficulties in conducting the SIR now as the local body elections were due, the election commission ignored the state's concern. </p><p>This has to be strongly resisted. The all-party meeting will discuss the future steps to be taken.</p>.Election Commission's SIR plan a threat to democracy, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.<p>Meanwhile, Kerala chief electoral officer Rathan U Kelkar, who held a meeting with representatives of political parties here on Wednesday, tried to allay the concerns by stating that more officials would be deployed for SIR so that the local body elections, which are expected to be announced soon, would not be affected.</p><p>But CPI(M) and Congress leaders maintained that a fair conduct of the local body election and the SIR would be affected if both the processes clashed as the same set of officials would be involved in both exercises. Hence they reiterated the demand that the SIR in Kerala should be postponed.</p>.Political parties in Kerala express concern over hasty SIR move, NRIs join chorus.<p>CPI(M) leader M V Jayarajan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph alleged that there were ulterior motives in initiating SIR in more states even as the matter was pending before court. It was part of the BJP's agenda of introducing the National Register of Citizens and Citizenship (Amendment) Act.</p><p>Jayarajan also said that the CPI(M) would also explore legal options in this regard.</p><p>BJP state general secretary S Suresh said that it was surprising that the Congress and CPI(M) were opposing efforts to bring out a clean electoral roll, which is essential as the state would be going to Assembly polls next year. He also urged the election commission to ensure that no eligible voters were eliminated from the list.</p><p><br><strong>68 per cent matching</strong> </p><p>The chief electoral officer said a preliminary comparison of the voters list of 2002 and that current voters list found around 68 per cent matching.</p><p>The 2002 electoral roll prepared following SIR is being considered as the base voters list for SIR in Kerala. The list was already published for the public to check. </p><p>He also said that 6,300 booth level officers were being appointed additionally to carry out the SIR.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala will hold an all-party meeting on November 5 to discuss further action to be taken in view of the election commission's decision to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state from November 4.</p><p>Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that even as the political parties and the election officials in Kerala appraising the election commission of the practical difficulties in conducting the SIR now as the local body elections were due, the election commission ignored the state's concern. </p><p>This has to be strongly resisted. The all-party meeting will discuss the future steps to be taken.</p>.Election Commission's SIR plan a threat to democracy, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.<p>Meanwhile, Kerala chief electoral officer Rathan U Kelkar, who held a meeting with representatives of political parties here on Wednesday, tried to allay the concerns by stating that more officials would be deployed for SIR so that the local body elections, which are expected to be announced soon, would not be affected.</p><p>But CPI(M) and Congress leaders maintained that a fair conduct of the local body election and the SIR would be affected if both the processes clashed as the same set of officials would be involved in both exercises. Hence they reiterated the demand that the SIR in Kerala should be postponed.</p>.Political parties in Kerala express concern over hasty SIR move, NRIs join chorus.<p>CPI(M) leader M V Jayarajan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph alleged that there were ulterior motives in initiating SIR in more states even as the matter was pending before court. It was part of the BJP's agenda of introducing the National Register of Citizens and Citizenship (Amendment) Act.</p><p>Jayarajan also said that the CPI(M) would also explore legal options in this regard.</p><p>BJP state general secretary S Suresh said that it was surprising that the Congress and CPI(M) were opposing efforts to bring out a clean electoral roll, which is essential as the state would be going to Assembly polls next year. He also urged the election commission to ensure that no eligible voters were eliminated from the list.</p><p><br><strong>68 per cent matching</strong> </p><p>The chief electoral officer said a preliminary comparison of the voters list of 2002 and that current voters list found around 68 per cent matching.</p><p>The 2002 electoral roll prepared following SIR is being considered as the base voters list for SIR in Kerala. The list was already published for the public to check. </p><p>He also said that 6,300 booth level officers were being appointed additionally to carry out the SIR.</p>