2026 Kerala assembly polls: CPM says SIR poses serious threat, cites Bihar results

Citing the Bihar Assembly election results, where the removal of nearly 60 lakh voters became a major flashpoint, the CPI(M) has warned that Kerala could face similar large-scale disenfranchisement if the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll continues unchecked.

With these concerns at the forefront, the state government and the CPI(M) have moved the Supreme Court seeking intervention.

What CPI(M) said

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan said the SIR process, as implemented, poses a serious threat to the integrity of the assembly elections next year. He questioned the Election Commission’s (EC) claim that 80 per cent of voter enrolment forms had been distributed, arguing that even in Kerala, the exercise was far from efficient.

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At the recent all-party meeting — where the Congress too supported the position — parties agreed to demand that the SIR exercise be postponed until after the elections. “Not a single eligible voter should be excluded. Everyone who has turned 18 must find their name on the rolls. The legal fight will continue, and all parties must actively intervene in preparing the voters’ list,” Govindan said.

Bihar experience

Invoking the Bihar experience, he said the mass deletion of voters had been a decisive factor in the Opposition’s defeat there. He further accused the EC of enabling manipulation.

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"The large-scale deletion of voters there was a key factor in the Opposition’s defeat. Even the EVMs did not function properly. The election was manipulated using the Commission. Their political agenda was implemented through the Election Commission,” he alleged.

Slams Congress over Bihar poll debacle

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech, he also said: “After the model code came into effect, Rs 10,000 was given to 1.5 crore people. This is a violation of election rules.”

He also criticised the Congress, saying it had helped create a political environment favourable to the BJP.

“The Congress did not approach the elections effectively. Its leadership must examine these issues,” he said.