Keralam SIR: LDF representatives walk out of all-party meet convened by Chief Electoral Officer

Representatives of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) walked out in protest from an all-party meeting convened by the Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) D. Sajith Babu on Friday (October 23) demanding that all voters excluded from the electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Keralam be reinstated.

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader M.V. Jayarajan and Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Sathyan Mokeri later said they had demanded election officials to restore in the electoral roll the names of 24.08 lakh voters who were excluded when the draft SIR list was published.

“The CEO expressed his helplessness. We have asked the CEO to convey the demand to the Election Commission of India (ECI),” Mr. Jayarajan said.

Demand to extend SSR timeline

The meeting was convened in connection with the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of the electoral roll which is currently under way in the State. Political parties demanded that the deadline set for the rationalisation of polling stations in Keralam, November 2, be extended. Mr. Sajith Babu said he had informed the leaders that he would convey the demand to the ECI.

24.08 lakh vs. 8.97 lakh

While political parties claim 24.08 lakh voters were excluded after the Keralam round of SIR, this is, in fact, the number in the draft SIR list, according to election officials. The number had reduced to 8.97 lakh when the final SIR list was published after the excluded voters were given an opportunity to enroll anew.

On October 27, 2025, when the electoral roll was frozen ahead of the SIR, Keralam had 2,78,50,855 voters. The draft SIR roll published on December 23, 2025, after the house-to-house enumeration had 2,54,42,352 voters; 24,08,503 fewer voters than in October. When the final SIR list was published on February 21, 2026, the number of voters increased to 2,69,53,644 voters, 8,97,211 voters fewer than in October 2025. On March 24, 2026, ahead of the Assembly polls in Kerala, the list was updated to 2,71,42,952 voters.

SSR draft list to be Published on November 12

The integrated draft list after the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) will be published on November 12. Citizens can lodge complaints and claims from November 12 to December 11. They will be examined and disposed of by December 28, 2026. The final list after the SSR will be published on January 4, 2027, Mr. Sajith Babu said.

Individuals who have turned 18 on October 1, 2026. Those will turn 18 on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 in 2027 can also apply.

As on October 5, 2026, Keralam’s electoral roll has 2,73,54,916 voters including 1,40,35,737 women, 1,33,18,911 men and 268 third gender voters.

New enrollment using Form 6, deletion of the names of dead voters, the names of individuals who have relinquished citizenship and duplicated entries (demographically similar entries) using Form 7, making corrections including change of address using Form 8 and the rationalisation of polling stations are being taken up under SSR.