The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider a new set of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in multiple states, including Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the ECI on all the newly filed petitions submitted by various political leaders. These petitions question the legality and timing of the SIR exercise on different grounds across states.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners from Kerala, argued that the matter requires urgent attention as local body elections are approaching in the state. The timing of the SIR process, he contended, could potentially impact the conduct of these elections.
Taking note of the concerns, the bench scheduled the Kerala-related petitions for hearing on November 26. Petitions concerning the electoral roll revision in other states will be heard in the first or second week of December, the bench said.
The Supreme Court is already seized of several other petitions challenging the ECI’s decision to carry out a nationwide SIR exercise. On November 11, the Court had sought individual responses from the poll body on petitions filed by political parties such as the DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress, and leaders of the Trinamool Congress, who have questioned the SIR exercises in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
(With inputs from PTI)