Assam BTC Elections: Manipulation Fears Surface as Govt Prints Ballots Privately

With the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections just around the corner, a fresh controversy has come to light in Assam as it was revealed that over 23 lakh ballot papers for the polls were printed in private pressed instead of the government press in Bamunimaidam.

For the BTC elections, around 31 lakh ballot papers were required. Of this, only about 8 lakh, meant for Udalguri district, were printed at the government press. The remaining 23 lakh were outsourced to private presses in Guwahati and other districts The reason? Press employees had launched a strike, refusing to work unless their demands for overtime allowances were met.

On September 6, government press employees launched a sit-in demonstration demanding that their grievances be addressed and extra allowances paid for election duty. Instead of resolving the issue through talks, the government shifted the bulk of the ballot printing to private presses, citing “compulsions.”

According to information accessed by Asomiya Pratidin, 5.25 lakh ballot papers for Baksa district, 4.76 lakh for Tamulpur, 8.50 lakh for Kokrajhar and 4.50 lakh for Chirang were printed privately.

Mukut Phukan, Director of Printing and Stationery told Asomiya Pratidin that this happened because “workers blackmailed the government by stopping work and want extra allowances for overtime.” He also confirmed that the state authorized private presses to complete the task.

The move is unprecedented as ballot papers are considered the most confidential element of any election process, usually handled under tight security and strict supervision inside government facilities.

Critics argue that outsourcing such sensitive material undermines the transparency of the election process. 
“If ballot papers can be printed in private presses, how can the people trust that the election is free and fair?” asked a political analyst in Guwahati.

The controversy also puts Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the spotlight. He has repeatedly projected Assam as a “protest-free state.” But the government’s inability to ensure its own employees carried out their election duties, and its reliance on private facilities instead, has contradicted that claim.

Never before in Assam’s electoral history have ballot papers been printed outside the state press. With such a move, several questions have come banging the door - 

Why couldn’t the government enforce discipline among its own staff? Why were the confidential ballot papers moved to private hands instead of negotiating a solution with workers?

With private presses involved, the possibility of corruption, manipulation and foul play can never be ruled out. It is paramount that the ballot papers are handled with full security, as there are fears that extra copies could be printed illegally.

Also Read: “BTC Lived in Fear Under Hagrama’s 17-Year Rule”: NEMSU Chief Badrul Islam