Assam: Debabrata Saikia flags ‘serious irregularities’ in SR, writes to CEC

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly (ALA), Debabrata Saikia, has raised strong objections to what he termed as “serious discrepancies” in the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam, alleging that the process threatens the integrity of the state’s electoral system.

In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday, Saikia expressed deep concern over the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, 2025. Citing media reports and ground-level feedback, he alleged unauthorized inclusion of “unknown” voters and major procedural lapses during the revision exercise.

The Congress leader pointed to specific instances in Guwahati where non-Assamese-speaking individuals were allegedly added to voter lists at residential addresses without the knowledge of the occupants. According to Saikia, at least four such individuals were enrolled at houses on Tayabulla Road, a discrepancy discovered only after families cross-checked the names against their household records. He warned that in many cases such irregularities may go unnoticed, allowing unauthorized voters to cast ballots.

Saikia also highlighted what he described as an “especially alarming” anomaly in his Nazira Assembly constituency, where voter entries have reportedly been recorded against non-existent house numbers marked as “household no. 00.” As the sitting MLA from the constituency, he asserted that there are no legitimate residences within the concerned polling stations lacking proper addresses, calling the entries “fabricated” and a serious breach of electoral norms.

“The inclusion of voters under such fictitious designations severely compromises the verifiability and integrity of the electoral roll,” Saikia stated, adding that it casts doubt over the credibility of the entire Special Revision process.

The Leader of the Opposition further noted that over 10 lakh names have reportedly been removed from the draft electoral roll for various reasons, but the emergence of fresh discrepancies raises questions about the overall accuracy and reliability of the exercise. He argued that thorough data verification is essential before finalization of the rolls.

In his letter, Saikia also linked the issue to Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, alleging that such irregularities undermine constitutional safeguards meant to protect the rights and identity of the people of Assam. He described the discrepancies as a grave threat to democratic values and public trust, echoing broader opposition allegations of possible vote manipulation.

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