New Delhi, Dec. 19 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Election Commission of India (ECI) to "sympathetically" consider the requests for extension of the enumeration period in states where the special intensive revision (SIR) is underway and take a decision by December 31.

The court passed the order while hearing petitions challenging the SIR in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh where a request was made to advance the enumeration period till December 31.

The bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi said, "The petitioners are at liberty to move representations and the ECI is directed to consider such representation sympathetically keeping in view all the ground realities and all the relevant factors. An a...