Assam Rolls Out Creative SVEEP Drives to Boost Voter Turnout Ahead of 2026 Assembly Polls

With the 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly elections approaching, the state's election machinery has launched an extensive voter awareness campaign under the Election Commission of India's Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme.

The initiatives are being rolled out across all districts under the supervision of Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel.

Also Read: SVEEP mascots inaugurated, World Water Day observed

Authorities are running a wide and creative mix of activities aimed at reaching voters across age groups and communities. These include:

• Street plays and wall writing

• Drawing, rangoli, and slogan-writing competitions

• Digital poster-making and news presentation contests

• Workshops and awareness drives

The activities are being implemented in a sustained, district-by-district manner with the goal of reinforcing citizens' democratic rights and responsibilities — and ultimately driving up voter turnout.

Several districts have introduced locally themed mascots to connect with voters in a more engaging way. The ones that have drawn notable public attention include:

• Bakhar — Lakhimpur

• Ganabandhu — Sonitpur

• Jolou — Jorhat

• Chameli — Golaghat

• Dwimlu and Sikhiri — Kokrajhar

The mascots have been designed to give each district's campaign a distinct, relatable identity.

Popular faces are also lending their reach to the campaign. YouTuber and content creator Abhinav Bora, widely known as "LazyGuy," has been associated with the Jorhat district campaign. Actor Rajiv Duwari has been designated as the SVEEP icon for Lakhimpur.

At the state level, para-cyclist Rakesh Banik has been named Assam's State SVEEP Icon and will travel across districts to promote voter participation through dedicated programmes.

In a creative cross-campaign effort, authorities observed World Water Day on March 22 by organising pledge-taking ceremonies and awareness activities across multiple districts — under the theme "Jan Bhagidari, Matdata Shakti" (People's Participation, Voter Power).

The events were held in collaboration with the Public Health Engineering Department under the Jal Jeevan Mission, with Booth Level Officers and local water user committee members also participating to encourage voter turnout.

Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel has expressed optimism about the public response so far, noting enthusiastic participation in the ongoing activities.

He has made a direct appeal to all voters in Assam to exercise their democratic right when polling day arrives.