The Supreme Court, hearing multiple petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to file its responses by December 1. The petitions contest the SIR process and its timing in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
ECI’s Argument vs. Petitioners’ Claims
| Issue | ECI’s Argument (Rakesh Dwivedi, Senior Advocate) | Petitioners’ Claims (DMK, CPI(M), TMC, etc.) |
| Situation on Ground | The situation is smooth, and political leaders are unnecessarily creating a scare. | The situation is dire; Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are being pressured. |
| Kerala Status | 99% of enumeration forms distributed; KSEC assures work completion by December 4; work is not hampered by local body polls. | Kerala government also filed a petition requesting deferment due to clashing with local body polls (Dec 9 & 11). |
| BLOs’ Well-being | ECI did not address specific claims but stated they have statistics showing smooth progress. | Many BLOs have reportedly died by suicide or are hospitalized due to pressure (23 suicides claimed in West Bengal). |
| Tamil Nadu Urgency | Not specifically addressed by ECI. | Urgency exists due to 50% forms distributed and BLOs facing problems doing door-to-door work due to rains and impending cyclone. |
Supreme Court’s Directives and Next Hearings
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi agreed to the ECI’s request to file a detailed status report. The court also indicated it would seek a response from the Kerala State Election Commission (KSEC) for official confirmation.
The Court set the following schedule for hearing the matters:
- Deadline for ECI Response: December 1
- Kerala Matters: December 2 (due to urgency)
- Tamil Nadu Matters: December 4 (dedicated hearing)
- West Bengal Matters: December 9
The court allowed the West Bengal government to file its response to the challenge, noting that it would intervene “If we feel that an alarming situation has happened in the state and a large number of people have been left out.” The constitutional validity of the SIR in Bihar is being examined separately.