'Just & Fair Request': Supreme Court Asks ECI To Consider Further Extending Kerala SIR Deadline

The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was informed by the Election Commission of India that the original deadline of December 4 has been extended till December 11. The local body elections in the State are happening on December 9 and 11, and the counting is happening on December 13.

The bench opined that the officers who are engaged in the local body election duties should also get sufficient time to upload their forms as well.  "You extend it more so anyone missed out they will also get an opportunity," CJI told Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi who represented the ECI.

In the order, the Court observed that the request for a further extension was "just and fair" and "requires consideration by the ECI." The Court allowed the State of Kerala to submit a representation to the ECI detailing the reasons to support the extension of the deadline. The ECI has been asked to decide by day after tomorrow, after considering the proposal "objectively and sympathetically."

The bench was hearing the petitions filed by the State of Kerala, Indian Union Muslim League, KPCC President Sunny Joseph, CPI(M) Secretary Govindan Master, CPI, etc., seeking the deferment of the SIR due to the local body elections.

No impediment to local body polls due to SIR : ECI, SEC

The State Election Commission told the Supreme Court that it was not facing any impediment in the conduct of the local body elections due to the SIR process, since the staff allocated to them are exempted from SIR duties.

Dwivedi informed that the distribution of SIR forms is not hindering the local election process, as the State has allocated a dedicated staff of 1.76 lakh staff to the SEC. Likewise, 25,468 persons have been allocated for the SIR process. The ECI further informed the Court that over 98.8% of the forms have been distributed and 80% of the forms have been digitised after being received. Senior Advocate Maninder Singh also appeared for the ECI.

Advocate Haris Beeran, appearing for IUML Secretary P K Kunhalikutty, informed the Court that Kerala faces a “special problem” due to its large non-resident population. He submitted that over 35 lakh Keralites are NRIs, most of them based in the Middle East, and although they are able to submit applications online, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) insist on the applicants being physically present at home for verification. Beeran pointed out that this requirement becomes impractical for NRIs who visit India infrequently, effectively preventing many from completing the voter registration process. The bench said that this issue can also be raised in the representation.

The State had initially approached the Kerala High Court seeking to defer the SIR process until the local body elections. However, the Kerala High Court declined interference, suggesting that the State approach the Supreme Court which is seized of the SIR-related matters.

Case Title:

(1) STATE OF KERALA Versus THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA AND ORS., W.P.(C) No. 1136/2025

(2) SUNNY JOSEPH Versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA AND ANR., W.P.(C) No. 1137/2025

(3) P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY Versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA AND ANR., W.P.(C) No. 1133/2025

(4) M.V GOVINDAN MASTER Versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA AND ANR., W.P.(C) No. 1135/2025