Kerala Gets SC Nod to Seek SIR Deadline Extension Amid Local Body Polls

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The Supreme Court has allowed the Kerala government to approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a deadline extension on the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise, which is currently underway in the state. The SIR process, which involves a large-scale revision of electoral rolls, is being conducted amid local body polls scheduled for December 9 and 11. The court's decision comes after the ECI assured that the SIR exercise would not impact the local elections. The Kerala State Election Commission (KSEC) has also filed an affidavit stating that there are no impediments to the smooth conduct of elections. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that while political parties have raised concerns about the SIR exercise, the government machinery has not. The court noted that the ECI has completed 98% of the enumeration work, with 88% of forms digitized, and asked the ECI to consider the 'just and fair' request of the petitioners to extend the deadline for collecting forms. The court has given the Kerala government time till Wednesday evening to submit a representation to the ECI, which will be considered 'objectively and sympathetically' within the next two days. The court has also been approached by petitioners who have raised concerns about non-resident Indians (NRIs) who are voters in Kerala. The NRIs face the risk of being struck off the electoral rolls due to the SIR exercise, which requires them to be present at home for verification. However, the court has said that this argument is premature and that the ECI will take the KSEC into confidence to resolve the issue. The Kerala government had earlier claimed that holding the SIR exercise with local body polls would create an 'administrative impasse'. However, the ECI has denied this, stating that the state administrative machinery will not be disrupted. The ECI has also pointed out that about 176,000 personnel have been employed for local body poll duty, who will not be required for SIR work. The court has kept the matter pending and has given the ECI time to consider the Kerala government's representation. The ECI has assured that it will consider the request 'objectively and sympathetically' within the next two days.