Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday urged all who value democracy to unite and oppose the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list, describing it as a grave threat to the country’s democratic foundation.
He warned that the process, now being extended to multiple states by the Election Commission of India (ECI), represents a clear attempt to undermine universal suffrage and manipulate electoral rolls for political gain.
In a strongly worded statement, Vijayan said the move by the ECI to carry out the SIR in Kerala and other states “poses a serious challenge to the democratic process.”
He said it raised deep doubts about the intentions of the poll panel and could erode public trust in the country’s electoral system.
Vijayan said the criticism that the central authorities are using the SIR as a way to manipulate the voters’ list to their advantage has not been denied in any way, which makes it all the more relevant.
“Even while the constitutional validity of the Bihar SIR is under the consideration of the Supreme Court, the move to extend the same process to other states cannot be viewed as innocent or impartial. Conducting such a special intensive revision — which requires long-term preparation and extensive consultation — in haste clearly indicates an attempt to undermine the people’s mandate,” he said.
The chief minister pointed out that the Commission’s reported plan to base the revision on voters’ lists from 2002 to 2004, instead of the existing rolls, would directly violate the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
“These laws clearly stipulate that any update must use the current voters’ list as its foundation,” he said.
Vijayan also noted that Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer had already informed the Commission that conducting a special intensive revision now would be impractical, as the state is preparing for local body elections.
“Pressing ahead with the SIR at this stage, despite those warnings, raises suspicions about the purpose behind the move,” he added. Kerala had earlier become the first state in India to unanimously pass a resolution in the Legislative Assembly opposing the SIR process.
Vijayan said what happened in Bihar — where 65 lakh names were reportedly removed from the voters’ list — and the move to replicate that process elsewhere constitutes a “complete violation of Article 326 of the Constitution,” which guarantees universal adult franchise.
“The right to vote, a fundamental right of every citizen, cannot be taken away or altered to suit political interests,” he said, warning that the SIR could become “a backdoor implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).”
Later in a post on ‘X’, Vijayan said ECI’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in states including Kerala is an affront to our democratic process.
“Basing this on outdated lists and rushing it ahead of local elections raises serious concerns. Kerala firmly opposes this attempt to undermine democracy and calls for united resistance to defend it,” the chief minister said.
His remarks came a day after the Election Commission announced that the SIR will be carried out between November and February in 12 states and Union Territories --including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal -- all of which are due to hold assembly elections in 2026.
