/pratidin/media/agency_attachments/2025/10/30/2025-10-30t081618549z-pt-new-glm-1-2025-10-30-13-46-18.png)
/pratidin/media/member_avatars/2025/05/21/2025-05-21t080305049z-8.png )
Follow Us/pratidin/media/media_files/2025/11/19/web-6-2025-11-19-23-19-18.jpg)
Assam finds itself at the center of a political storm as the Election Commission’s recently announced Special Revision (SR) of the voters’ list has drawn criticism from political leaders, student bodies, and legal experts alike. The move, intended to ensure updated and accurate electoral rolls ahead of next year’s Assembly elections, is now being accused of potentially opening the floodgates for outsiders to influence the state’s democratic process.
According to official clarification issued by the Deputy Secretary and Joint Chief Electoral Officer, individuals residing in Assam with the intent of long-term settlement are eligible to transfer their voter registration from another state to their current polling station via Form 8. Existing registered voters who change their residence can also transfer their names without risk of removal from the rolls. The Election Department emphasised that the process is strictly regulated and requires careful verification before approval, and called for cooperation from the public.
Yet, controversy erupted after remarks by MLA Akhil Gogoi, who accused the Election Commission of enabling “a game-changing, dangerous scenario.” He alleged that the SR could allow people arriving from other states just days prior to electoral deadlines to be included in Assam’s voter list and cast votes, calling it “a terrifying development” and a structural attempt to manipulate the democratic process.
The debate quickly drew wider attention. Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi launched a sharp critique of Himanta Biswa Sarma, stating, “Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking to import people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to secure his position, knowing that the Assamese population does not support him. He is the biggest burden of the BJP among the Assamese people.
Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur questioned the rationale behind allowing outsiders to influence local governance, asking, “If the government truly believes in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ why is it attempting to import voters from outside Assam to consolidate power?”
Similarly, the AASU president, Utpal Sarma, highlighted the persistent need for voter list reform while emphasizing that a clean National Register of Citizens (NRC) remains crucial before any revisions can be considered legitimate.
CPI(M) leader Suprakash Talukdar further mocked the process, querying whether the Election Commission would deploy psychologists to assess how long out-of-state voters intended to stay in Assam. Legal experts, including Gauhati High Court advocate Santanu Borthakur, have expressed doubts about the impartiality of the Election Commission, especially after its comments that outsiders could be allowed to vote.
The state government, however, maintains that the Special Revision is aimed at weeding out illegal voters and ensuring a clean, accurate electoral roll for all eligible citizens. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “As the NRC has not been notified in Assam due to legacy issues, the Special Intensive Revision has been temporarily deferred. The SR will help us remove illegal voters and ensure the integrity of our polling process. The state government will fully cooperate with this initiative.” Officials have set January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date for residents to participate in the SR process.
Yet, opposition voices remain deeply concerned. Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi warned that the SR could severely compromise the state’s demographic stability. “This has opened the door for thousands—even lakhs—of people to be brought into Assam,” he said, accusing the BJP-led government of deliberately creating conditions to allow outsiders to influence elections. Gogoi warned that the SR could enable not only foreigners but also Indian citizens from other states to be added to the voter list, calling it an existential threat to indigenous communities and demanding the cancellation of the Special Revision process.
The Special Revision in Assam thus sits at the intersection of administrative necessity and political controversy. While the Election Commission frames it as a measure to strengthen electoral integrity, critics argue it risks undermining the state’s demographic and political fabric just months ahead of crucial elections.