Picture used for representational function solely. , Picture Credit score: PTI
The Supreme Court docket agrees to listen to on Friday (November 21, 2025) Kerala Authorities’s petition looking for a deferment of the Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) course of within the State because the train clashes with the native physique elections and would result in a pressure on human assets apart from leading to an “administrative deadlock”.
In its petition, the State had mentioned the conduct of the “cumbersome” SIR course of from November 4 to December 4 would coincide with the elections to the native our bodies in Kerala. The simultaneous conduct of each workout routines wouldn’t solely pressure human useful resource but additionally create an “administrative deadlock” with no personnel left to deal with the day-to-day functioning of the federal government.
The federal government mentioned the simultaneous conduct could be a “near-impossibility”.
“The SIR is a large train requiring deployment of 1,76,000 personnel from authorities and quasi-governmental providers for election-related duties and an additional 68,000 police and different safety personnel. The SIR can be a complete course of with cumbersome process, requiring the providers of extra personnel numbering 25,668. The pool of skilled and election-experienced workers is finite, which constrains real-world deployment. Parting with such numerous officers for simultaneous SIR and native physique elections is a close to impossibility, aside from presumably placing the State to an administrative deadlock,” the State submitted.
The State Authorities made it plainly clear that it didn’t help the constitutionality of the SIR. It mentioned the train was “not conducive to the democratic polity of the nation.” Nonetheless, the State Authorities, represented by advocate CK Sasi, mentioned the principle thrust of the present problem was not the legality of the SIR, however its timing. The federal government mentioned endeavor the SIR would have an effect on the sleek conduct of the native our bodies’ election.
The Kerala State Election Fee has determined to conduct elections to the LSGIs within the State on December 9 and 11. The notification for the election was issued on November 14 and the final date for withdrawal of nominations on November 24. The counting of votes could be on December 13 and the final date for completion of election is December 18.
The State mentioned the Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala had communicated that the personnel deployed for the LSGIs elections wouldn’t be engaged within the SIR train.
For the sleek conduct of the native our bodies elections, an enormous element of personnel could be wanted. These embrace native our bodies’ officers; personnel notified as returning officers, assistant returning officers, electoral registration officers and their complete workers; Sectoral officers recognized by the district election officers; the officers deputed for first-level checking of digital voting machines; officers deputed for coaching in relation to the election; and officers to be appointed as presiding officers and first polling officers.
“These personnel shouldn’t be appointed as Sales space Stage Officers (BLOs),” the State mentioned.
Printed – November 19, 2025 12:04 pm IST