Kerala CEO seeks delay in voter list update
Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U Kelkar, has asked the Election Commission of India to postpone updating the state's voter list until after the local body elections set for November-December 2024.
This move follows feedback from major parties—both the ruling Left and Congress-led opposition—who objected to using an old 2002 voter list and flagged logistical headaches.
Political parties' concerns and logistical challenges
Political parties say using the outdated list would leave out about 5 million current voters, risking many people losing their chance to vote.
Plus, updating rolls now would clash with busy election schedules and stretch officials thin.
The CEO promises there'll still be time to finish the revision before Kerala's Assembly elections in April-May 2026, but for now, everyone's waiting on a final call from the Election Commission.