Kerala to challenge Special Intensive Revision of voter list in court

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A meeting of all political parties chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has decided to legally challenge the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Kerala. All parties except the BJP supported the decision. The Chief Minister said that the government will seek legal advice on how to challenge the SIR- both as the state government and as a political party- especially since local body elections are approaching.

The Chief Minister stated that the move to conduct the SIR based on the 2002 voter list, even though the updated list used in the last Lok Sabha election is already in force, is unscientific and politically motivated. CPM State Secretary M.V. Govindan called the decision unconstitutional and undemocratic. Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan said the Congress is ready to join the legal case if it goes to court.

Leaders who took part in the meeting included K. Surendran (BJP), P.C. Vishnunath (Congress), Sathyan Mokeri (CPI), P.K. Kunhalikutty (Muslim League), Stephen George (Kerala Congress M), P.J. Joseph (Kerala Congress), Mathew T. Thomas (Janata Dal Secular), Thomas K. Thomas (NCP), Uzhamalackal Venugopal (Congress S), K.G. Premjith (Kerala Congress B), Adv. Shaji S. Panicker (RSP Leninist), K.R. Girijan (Kerala Congress Jacob), N.K. Premachandran (RSP), Ahmed Devarkovil (INL), and Antony Raju (Democratic Kerala Congress).