The Supreme Court has sought Election Commission of India’s (ECI) response on multiple pleas challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and other states. The top court has fixed Nov 26 for hearing on pleas urging postponement of the exercise in the state.
A huge chaos has erupted in multiple states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the SIR exercise, with leaders alleging of mounting pressure on the workers to conduct the SIR.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the top poll panel on all the fresh petitions filed by different political leaders, challenging SIR exercises in different states on different grounds.
What happened in the SC
Appearing for Kerala, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, submitted that local body elections are also scheduled to be held in the state and, argued that there is some urgency involved in the matter. For Kerala, the bench said the matter will be heard on November 26 and rest of the petitions will be taken up for hearing in the first or second week of December.
The apex court is already hearing a batch of pleas challenging the validity of the Election Commission’s decision to conduct pan-India SIR exercise. Previously on November 11, the Supreme Court sought separate responses of the ECI on pleas filed by DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders challenging the SIR of the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively.
Briefing about the court hearing, IUML MP and advocate Haris Beeran said that the SC issued a notice to the Election Commission and has listed the matter for Wednesday to consider interim prayers.
“In Kerala, local body elections are underway. Today is the last day for filing nominations. December 9 and 11 are the polling dates. Simultaneously, the SIR is also happening. All state government officials and machinery are busy with the local body elections, and the same officers are required for the SIR process as well…” he said.
SIR stirs massive row
A Kerala booth level officer (BLO) recently died by suicide due to alleged work pressure of the SIR. Then, a booth worker died in West Bengal and the family blamed it on the exercise and terrible work pressure.
Before her, Mukesh Jangid (45) died by suicide on Sunday in Jaipur allegedly due to pressure to meet SIR targets and threats of suspension.
The senior officials are allegedly threatening the BLOs and others of suspension and FIR if they don’t proceed with the work of revision of roll as published by the ECI.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has even written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, urging him to halt the exercise as it has reached a “dangerous” stage. Protests are also being held in Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the SIR.
