In a swift and unexpected move, the Kerala State government has withdrawn an order that temporarily halted the transfer of officials responsible for preparing electoral rolls. This reversal comes just two days after the initial directive was issued and amidst lingering doubts about the planned Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in the state.
The original order, released on September 25 by the General Administration department, instructed all department heads to prevent the transfer of key personnel such as District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) until the SIR process concluded. It also stipulated that any transfers under unavoidable circumstances would require prior approval from the Election Commission. Furthermore, the order emphasized the immediate need to fill any existing vacancies for EROs and AEROs.
This initial directive was prompted by a letter from Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U. Kelkar, who highlighted the intense workload associated with the SIR and the necessity of stable staffing. However, the Additional Secretary for General Administration has now issued a new order, effectively canceling the previous transfer restriction.
Notably, the restriction was put in place even though CEO Kelkar had, on September 21, recommended to the Election Commission of India that the entire Kerala SIR exercise be postponed until after the upcoming local body elections. Both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) had voiced their strong objections to the SIR during a state-level meeting convened by the CEO on September 20.
Adding another layer to the development, the State Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Monday, collectively expressing its concerns regarding the proposed SIR. This legislative action further underscores the political sensitivity surrounding the electoral revision process in Kerala.