New Delhi, Nov. 22 -- The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear next week, the Kerala government's plea to defer the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state next week and issued notices to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and others on fresh petitions challenging the SIR in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry. A bench headed by justice Surya Kant, who is Chief Justice of India (CJI) designate, posted the matter related to Kerala as the state cited urgency citing the local body polls that will overlap with the SIR exercise, leading to an "administrative impasse". "The cause you have taken has not been taken by other states," the bench told Kerala government, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal who pointed out that "local body elections are scheduled on December 9 and 11." Sibal informed the court that the pending SIR matters related to Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are already listed for hearing on November 26 and 27. The court directed the Kerala state's petition to be heard on that date. The bench, also comprising justices SVN Bhatti and Joymalya Bagchi did not find any urgency to list the other petitions challenging SIR in UP, Kerala and Puducherry and posted them in December. The UP SIR has been challenged by Barabanki member of Parliament from the Congress while the petitions against Kerala SIR have been filed by Kerala MLA and state Congress president Sunny Joseph, Indian Union Muslim League general secretary and Kerala MLA PK Kunjalikutty and ruling CPI(M) state secretary and Politburo member MV Govindan Master. The Puducherry SIR has been challenged by ex-Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasami. The Kerala government pointed out practical difficulties in undertaking SIR along with local body polls and requested for a deferment. In its plea filed through advocate CK Sasi, the state warned of an "administrative impasse, on account of simultaneous conduct of elections to the local self government institutions (LSGIs) and the SIR". It added: "About 176,000 personnel are required for LSGI election purposes, apart from 68,000 security personnel. Besides, the conduct of SIR requires the services of additional personnel numbering 25,668. This puts a severe strain on the state administration, bringing routine administrative work to a standstill." The state reserved its right to later question the validity of the SIR being "not conducive to the democratic polity of the country" but clarified that the present petition is only for seeking a limited relief to ensure smooth conduct of local body polls. Kerala has 1,200 local self-government institutions (LSGIs). The petition emphasised the constitutional and statutory mandates under Articles 243-E and 243-U, the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, and the Kerala Municipality Act, requiring that elections to these bodies be completed before December 21, 2025. As per the November 14 notification issued by the Kerala State Election Commission,the last date for withdrawal of nominations is November 24, the polls will happen in two phases on December 9 and 11, counting will be held on December 13, and the process must be completed by December 18. The state informed the court that the chief electoral officer of Kerala has already conveyed that staff deployed for the LSGI elections cannot be diverted for SIR. By an earlier order passed on November 11, the top court sought responses of the Election Commission of India on pleas filed by DMK, CPI(M), West Bengal Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders challenging the SIR of the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal....