Congress-led UDF will oppose SIR in Kerala: V.D. Satheesan

Kerala Assembly Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan on Saturday, 13 September, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the special intensive revision (SIR) as a political tool to disrupt free and fair elections, asserting that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) would strongly oppose any attempt to implement the exercise in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Satheesan claimed that implementing SIR in Kerala could result in the removal of long-time voters from the electoral rolls, including many who have been casting ballots for over 20 years.

“They want the voter list to revert to its 2002 status,” he said, referring to the last time SIR was carried out in the state.

“The people of Kerala will resist this, and there will be strong protests across the state, similar to those witnessed in Bihar,” Satheesan added, responding to questions about the potential rollout of SIR in Kerala.

The Election Commission of India has indicated that it will soon decide on a date to roll out SIR nationwide. The exercise, aimed at cleaning up and verifying voter lists across states, may be conducted before the end of 2025. With as many as five state assembly elections scheduled next year—including Kerala—officials said the pan-India SIR could take place in the coming months to ensure updated and accurate electoral rolls ahead of the polls.

The Opposition leader’s warning comes amid growing concerns over voter disenfranchisement, with political parties across India debating the implications of SIR on voter turnout and electoral fairness.

With PTI inputs