SIR a ‘backdoor implementation of NRC’, warns Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

In a strongly worded statement, the Chief Minister said the SIR move posed a serious threat to India’s democratic process and could disenfranchise millions of voters.

“There is growing concern that the SIR process is being used as a backdoor implementation of the NRC,” he said, adding that “the attempt appears aimed at manipulating voter rolls in a manner favourable to the ruling party at the Centre.”

Politically motivated

Vijayan said the EC’s plan to base the revision on voter lists from 2002–2004 instead of the existing rolls was “legally untenable and politically motivated.” Under the Representation of the People Act (1950) and the Registration of Electors Rules (1960), he said, revisions must be conducted using the current list as the base.

The Chief Minister said the SIR initiative mirrored the pattern of voter roll deletions reported from Bihar, where around 65 lakh names were removed during the first phase of the process.

“What happened in Bihar — and what is now being extended to other states — is a violation of Article 326 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to vote,” Vijayan said. “The fundamental right to vote cannot be curtailed or withdrawn to serve political interests,” he added.

Also read: Kerala parties oppose 'undemocratic' ECI's SIR; rare consensus across political fronts

He said the SIR amounted to “tampering with the electoral foundation of democracy” and warned that the exercise could push the country towards a selective disenfranchisement of vulnerable groups.

Highly irregular

Vijayan said it was “highly irregular” for the EC to disregard the statutory requirement to use existing electoral rolls as the foundation for revisions.

“The Commission is preparing to conduct an intensive revision based on voter rolls from 2002–2004. This violates the established legal framework and undermines the credibility of the entire electoral process," he asserted.

He pointed out that the state chief electoral officer had already informed the Commission that carrying out such a massive revision in Kerala would be impractical given that the local body elections are approaching.

“Despite this, the Commission’s insistence on proceeding immediately with the SIR casts a serious shadow of doubt over its intentions,” the Chief Minister said.

Referring to the 2024 National Voters’ Day campaign, which carried the message “Nothing is like voting; I will definitely vote”, Vijayan said the Election Commission’s recent actions made a mockery of that slogan.

“Those who spread that very message are the same people who removed 65 lakh voters from Bihar’s rolls. The contradiction exposes the true motive behind this hurried revision drive,” he stressed.

Hasty process

Vijayan argued that an exercise as extensive as the SIR required careful preparation, broad consultation, and transparency — none of which have been ensured.

“Conducting such a process in haste, when its constitutional validity is still being examined by the Supreme Court in the case of Bihar, clearly reveals the motive: to distort the people’s mandate,” he said.

Also read: EC to roll out SIR in TN, Kerala, Bengal, 9 other states; poll-bound Assam left out

He added that the Commission’s actions raised questions about its independence. “Institutions like the Election Commission must not be reduced to puppets in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.

Kerala's united resistance

Kerala has been at the forefront of resistance to the SIR. The Kerala Legislative Assembly recently passed a unanimous resolution urging the Election Commission to withdraw the move and warning that it would undermine democratic rights.

Vijayan said, “The entire Assembly, transcending political differences, has expressed concern over this dangerous precedent. Kerala has spoken in one voice to defend democracy.”

The chief minister called on citizens and democratic organisations across India to unite in opposition to the second phase of the SIR. “Everyone who values democracy must respond collectively. This is not a partisan issue — it is about protecting the very foundation of universal suffrage," he said.