New Delhi – The Supreme Court (SC) today agreed to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls in several states, including Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, S. V. N. Bhatti, and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Election Commission on all fresh petitions challenging the SIR exercise on various grounds.
🗓️ Hearing Schedule and Urgency
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for a petitioner challenging the SIR exercise in Kerala, emphasized the urgency of the matter, noting that local body elections are scheduled to be held in the state soon.
The Supreme Court directed the following schedule for the hearings:
- Kerala Pleas: Petitions specifically challenging the SIR exercise in Kerala will be listed on November 26, 2025.
- Other States: Petitions challenging the electoral roll revision in other states, including Uttar Pradesh, will be taken up for hearing in the first or second week of December.
The Supreme Court is already seized of a batch of pleas challenging the validity of the ECI’s decision to conduct the pan-India SIR exercise. Earlier this month, the court sought separate responses from the poll panel on petitions filed by leaders from the DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress, and Trinamool Congress challenging the SIR in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.