The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has moved the Supreme Court through a writ petition demanding an urgent stay on the Special Interim Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently being undertaken in Kerala. The party contends that the revision exercise cannot run concurrently with the ongoing local body elections in the State.

The petition challenges the Election Commission of India’s October 27 notification announcing the SIR for Kerala, seeking that it be quashed entirely.

Filed by IUML General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty, the plea highlights that the State Election Commission has already declared the local body elections—scheduled in two phases on December 9 and 11—while the draft roll under the SIR is set to be released on December 4. Conducting a revision process in the midst of an active election schedule, the party argues, violates well-established electoral norms and destabilises the electoral process. The ECI’s timelines, it submits, are “wholly unrealistic” and arbitrary.

The IUML asserts that the SIR was initiated without any material findings of large-scale fraud, duplication, or systemic irregularities in Kerala’s electoral rolls. It argues that the Commission is attempting to override an existing valid electoral roll and impose an extensive re-verification process without legal foundation.

Invoking Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 for such a sweeping revision, in the absence of specific complaints or evidence, is “disproportionate and ultra vires,” the petition states. The Act, it points out, does not authorise mass deletion or neutralisation of an existing roll without case-specific reasons.

In its application for interim relief, the IUML draws attention to the recent death of a Booth Level Officer (BLO), Aneesh George, reported as a suicide allegedly linked to severe work pressure arising from the SIR. It is claimed that BLOs are being forced to work from early morning until late evening, including weekends, making it “humanly impossible” to complete house visits and distribute enumeration forms within the stipulated timeframe.

The petition says the one-month period allotted for the SIR—especially when local elections are underway—is grossly inadequate. It also notes Kerala’s substantial NRI population, arguing that the process exposes them to the risk of wrongful exclusion.

According to the IUML, the exercise appears structured in a manner that could lead to large-scale voter deletions.
“The only intention behind this SIR… when the State is going for local body elections and placing unreasonable pressure on officials and NRI voters, is to exclude as many voters from the draft list as possible,” the plea contends. Such action, it argues, violates citizens’ right to vote and the constitutional and statutory protections under the Representation of the People Act.

Last week, the State of Kerala approached the Kerala High Court seeking postponement of the SIR until after the local polls. The High Court declined to intervene and suggested that the State bring the issue before the Supreme Court, which is already dealing with matters concerning the SIR.

The IUML petition has been prepared by Senior Advocate Haris Beeran and filed through Advocate R.S. Jena.

Case: PK Kunhalikutty v. Election Commission of India & Anr.