KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday refused to entertain the state government's petition seeking to defer the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the State, along with the conduct of local body elections.
The court pointed out that petitions concerning SIR in other states are already pending before the Supreme Court.
While closing the petition, Justice VG Arun said that "Judicial discipline and comity require this court not to entertain the petition. Therefore, this writ petition is being closed, leaving it open for the petitioner to move the Supreme Court or approach this court depending on the outcome of the petitions pending before the Supreme Court."
The state government argued that conducting the SIR simultaneously with the local body elections would hinder the smooth conduct of polls.
The election to the LSGIs is a massive exercise requiring the deployment of 1,76,000 personnel from government and quasi-government services for election-related duties, along with an additional 68,000 police and other security personnel for election-related security duties.
"The state would face an administrative deadlock if it conducted the LSGI elections and the SIR simultaneously," the Advocate General submitted.
The Election Commission of India said, “Nobody has raised any objections. The public has not objected either. Meetings have been held with all the concerned officers, including those from the State Election Commission, and it has been concluded that no such problem arises between the two exercises. We have decided to proceed harmoniously."