Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Slams Election Commission's SIR Move, Calls It a Threat to Democracy

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly criticized the Election Commission’s decision to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling it a “threat to democracy” and a “serious violation of electoral rules.” Speaking on Tuesday, Vijayan said the move undermines the democratic process and raises doubts about the Commission’s intentions.

According to the Chief Minister, the Election Commission’s plan to revise voter lists based on data from 2002 to 2004, instead of using the current electoral rolls, directly violates the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Voter Registration Rules, 1960. He warned that such a move could erode public trust in the electoral system and compromise the integrity of upcoming elections.

Vijayan further stated that the law clearly mandates that any revision to the current voter list must be based on Aadhaar-linked data. He revealed that the State Election Officer had already informed the Commission that conducting SIR in Kerala would be impractical, especially as the state is preparing for local body elections. Ignoring these warnings, he said, only adds to suspicions about the motives behind the Commission’s decision.

The Election Commission recently announced that the SIR campaign will be carried out in 12 states and union territories between November and February. These include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal — all states scheduled to hold assembly elections in 2026.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin also voiced his opposition to the move, calling it an “unnecessary and ill-timed exercise.” Stalin said that conducting such an extensive revision during the monsoon months in southern states would be logistically difficult and politically questionable. He alleged that the SIR could be part of a larger conspiracy to manipulate the electoral process and serve the interests of the BJP.