Synopsis
The Supreme Court has entreated the Election Commission to know into narrative extending the slice-off date for submitting enumeration forms in Kerala. This comes as local body elections are scheduled to perform on December 13. Many suppose authorities employees are serious about the poll job, doubtlessly making it now no longer easy to meet the December 11 slice-off date.
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ANIThe Supreme Court on Tuesday requested the Election Commission to know into narrative extending the slice-off date of December 11 by but but every other week for submitting enumeration forms within the continuing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took indicate of the submissions that local bodies elections in Kerala will happen on December 9 and 11 and counting of votes will perform on December 13.
It also took indicate of the incontrovertible truth that around 1.76 lakh suppose authorities employees are engaged within the poll job for the local bodies within the suppose and therefore, they would possibly perchance well presumably perchance fetch it now no longer easy to submit the enumeration forms by December 11, the slice-off date fastened by the poll body.
Noting the grievances, the CJI granted Kerala authorities and diversified petitioners the liberty to submit a proper representation to the EC by 5 pm on Wednesday seeking an extension of the SIR slice-off date.
It extra requested the EC to know into narrative the representation “sympathetically and objectively” and to know a decision inner two days on the representation.
“If the date of enumeration is extended beyond December 13, then those left out due to local body polls can take part in it,” the CJI talked about.
“It is submitted that polling (for the local bodies) would be over on December 13. Shri Rakesh Dwivedi representing the Election Commission said that for smooth conduct of local bodies polls, the state has allocated 1,76,000 staff and 25,468 staff for the SIR which will be over by December 11.
“It is miles submitted that bigger than 98 per cent enumeration forms are distributed and bigger than 88 per cent are digitised. The SEC says all group deployed by it are exempted from SIR responsibility,” the bench noted.
“Let the suppose of Kerala intention a search files from to the Election Commission citing all of the causes for the extension of date, if now no longer already given, by the following day 5 pm,” it said, adding that the poll body will consider it “sympathetically and intention a decision by day after the following day”.
During the proceedings, the EC, represented by senior advocates Rakesh Dwivedi and Maninder Singh, defended the ongoing drive, arguing that the local elections and the SIR are distinct exercises with separate workforces.
“The Kerala SEC has already exempted SIR group from collaborating in local election responsibilities,” Dwivedi submitted.
He said that the deadline for submitting the enumeration forms has already been extended from December 4 to 11.
The CJI noted a peculiar situation where the government body (Kerala SEC) appeared satisfied with the arrangement, yet political parties were raising objections.
“The authorities body doesn’t bask in a subject, however the political occasions bask in,” the CJI said during the hearing.
The bench, however, emphasized that government staff should not be overburdened.
