Kerala's Voter List Revision Amid Political Concerns

The Election Commission on Tuesday initiated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters' list, including in Kerala, despite concerns from most political parties, excluding the BJP, over the timing.

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have commenced door-to-door distributions and collections of enumeration forms, aiming for same-day completion to minimize multiple visits. The initiative, spanning 12 states and union territories including polling states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, is closely monitored by senior officials.

Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Anu Kumari stated, 'Our objective is to collect filled forms on the same day to save time.' If initial visits don't succeed, BLOs will return up to three more times. Cooperation from resident associations and prior voter contact is also employed. Voters with listings in the 2025 register need only submit filled forms, while new entries require approved documentation. Concerns have been raised about possible disruptions of local polls; however, election duty officials are exempt from SIR tasks.