4 months ago
1
Assam's Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging "serious irregularities" successful the draught electoral rolls of the state, published aft a Special Revision (SR).
The elder Congress person demanded the halt of the finalisation of the electoral rolls until "all irregularities are thoroughly verified and resolved" to guarantee the removal of immoderate unauthorised oregon "unknown" elector entries.
Assam has registered a 1.35% summation successful the fig of voters arsenic per the integrated draught electoral rotation for the state, published connected December 30 aft the SR was conducted, with months near for the assembly elections.
"I americium penning to explicit my heavy interest regarding superior irregularities observed during the ongoing SR of electoral rolls successful Assam. Media reports and ground-level feedback bespeak unauthorised inclusion of non-Assamese speaking voters and different procedural lapses that endanger the integrity of the electoral process," Mr. Saikia said successful his missive to Mr. Kumar connected Monday (January 5, 2026).
He alleged that circumstantial instances person travel to airy wherever "unknown" persons person been added arsenic voters successful households without the cognition of residents.
Mr. Saikia cited examples of 4 non-Assamese individuals enrolled astatine House No 44 and 15 connected Tayabulla Road successful Guwahati unbeknownst to the family, portion elector entries person been seen against non-existent Household No. 00 successful the Nazira constituency.
"Such malpractice often goes unnoticed, perchance starring to these 'unknown' voters casting their ballots...The inclusion of entries nether specified fabricated designations not lone breaches procedural norms but besides severely compromises the verifiability and integrity of the electoral roll, casting superior uncertainty connected the authenticity of the full revision process," the Congress legislator claimed.
Sounding caution, Mr. Saikia said specified samples of "violations" airs a "grave threat" to the antiauthoritarian values and the information of the radical of Assam, including the law rights and socio-cultural heritage.
"Additionally, this incidental reinforces Rahul Gandhi's allegation to the ECI regarding ballot manipulation successful the electorate's consciousness and exposes an extended systemic problem," helium added.
Reacting to the opposition's allegations connected draught roll, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that anyone who has immoderate objections tin "fill Form No 6, 7 and 8 to effect changes successful the last electoral roll" arsenic per the established norm.
"Instead of crying foul successful the media, the Opposition should travel acceptable procedures if they person immoderate genuine concerns," helium added.
Mr. Saikia besides pointed retired that the electoral draught has seen the "removal of much than 10 lakh individuals for assorted reasons", but the emergence of discrepancies suggests that the credibility of the electoral rotation has been "compromised".
"Therefore, information verification is of the utmost value earlier finalisation of the electoral roll...These malpractices bash not simply interruption procedural norms; they correspond a breach of the cardinal protections enshrined successful Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and disregard the Hon'ble Supreme Court's directive to uphold this law safeguard," helium said.
In this context, specified irregularities tin beryllium construed arsenic an alleged effort to "manipulate" the upcoming electoral process, thereby "undermining" the decisive dependable of the morganatic electorate of Assam, the Congress person said with apprehension.
"These discrepancies not lone interruption electoral guidelines but besides undermine nationalist spot successful the antiauthoritarian process. Considering these issues, I impulse the Election Commission of India to instrumentality contiguous steps to safeguard the credibility of the electoral rotation and guarantee a escaped and just electoral process," helium added.
Mr. Saikia demanded that the CEC behaviour a swift and transparent probe into each reported discrepancies and marque the findings public.
"Halt the finalisation of electoral rolls until each irregularities are thoroughly verified and resolved, ensuring the removal of immoderate unauthorised oregon 'unknown' elector entries," helium said.
Saikia besides asked the canvass sheet to instrumentality a azygous addressing strategy and fortify verification protocols to forestall specified issues.
"Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and immoderate compromise successful the accuracy of electoral rolls erodes nationalist assurance and antiauthoritarian values. I spot the ECI volition instrumentality decisive enactment to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process successful Assam," helium added.
The draught rotation reflected a full of 2,52,01,624 electors, representing a 1.35% summation from the erstwhile last rotation published successful January 2025.
A full of 7,86,841 additions and 4,47,196 deletions person taken spot from January 6 to December 27 past year.
During the SR process, 4,78,992 deceased electors and 5,23,680 shifted voters were identified. Another 53,619 aggregate entries were detected.
The Election Commission of India, however, said that these names person not yet been deleted. These volition lone beryllium processed for removal oregon shifting aft ceremonial applications are received during the existent claims and objections period.
Claims and objections tin beryllium filed from December 27 to January 22, with peculiar run dates fixed for January 3-4 and January 10-11.
The last electoral rotation volition beryllium published connected February 10.
