CPI(M) to Move Supreme Court Over SIR; No One Should Step Away From Voter List Revision: M.V. Govindan

CPI(M) to Move Supreme Court Over SIR; M.V. Govindan

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M) is set to mount a legal challenge against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan said the party would approach the Supreme Court regarding the matter. “Across the country, the BJP has deliberately used the Election Commission to exclude certain sections of voters,” he said at a press conference here.

M.V. Govindan noted that around one and a half lakh employees, including Booth Level Officers (BLOs), are engaged in duties related to local body elections in Kerala. Amid this heavy workload, the distribution of enumeration forms has not been carried out effectively. While the Election Commission claims that over 80 percent of forms have been distributed, Govindan dismissed this as merely a numerical assertion. The CPI(M) has demanded a clear guarantee that all eligible voters will have the opportunity to participate.

The state government had earlier filed a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking an extension for the SIR process. The court suggested that the matter be taken to the Supreme Court. Govindan emphasized that the legal battle should continue as long as necessary. He said at an all-party meeting convened by the state electoral officer, the BJP also had expressed the view that the SIR process could be postponed till the local body polls are over. However, officials of the state Election Commission reportedly did not respond to the concerns raised by the parties.

M.V. Govindan stressed that no eligible voter should step away from the revision process. He warned that neglecting the voter list update could result in large-scale disenfranchisement. He called on all political parties to actively ensure voter inclusion and facilitate the proper completion of enumeration forms.

He said the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) will unitedly face the electorate in the coming local body polls in the state with its development agenda and sticking to its fight against both minority and majority communalism.