Fake Voter Fear in Assam: AASU Sounds Alert as Hundreds Arrive Before Polling

The arrival of hundreds of people in Assam by train and bus on the eve of polling has triggered serious concern among civil society organisations, with the All Assam Students Union sounding a public alert over the possibility of bogus voting.

Most of those arriving identified themselves as residents of Barpeta, Koyakuchi, Patekibari, and nearby areas — but their inability to speak or understand Assamese has deepened suspicions about their identities.

AASU president Utpal Sarma called for public vigilance, describing the sudden influx as deeply suspicious.

"The arrival of hundreds of people in Assam from other states a day before polling day is strange," Sarma said. "It's quite natural to cast doubt on such people who can neither speak nor understand Assamese; yet they say they are voters of Assam."

The organisation also flagged a statement made by the Chief Electoral Officer, who had reportedly said that anyone arriving in Assam two days before polling would be eligible to vote. AASU said this had only heightened their concern.

The union called on the Election Commission of India to issue a clear and convincing statement on the matter without delay.

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AJYCP president Palash Changmai also expressed alarm over the situation, calling it an issue directly tied to the future of Assam and its people.

"This incident has created a doubt over the genuineness of the so-called voters," Changmai said.

A section of media personnel cross-verified some of the arriving individuals and found a mixed picture.

Several of the so-called voters could not name their own constituencies. However, some clearly knew their village names and other relevant details, and a few spoke Assamese to reporters, explaining that they work in other states and return to Assam before every election.

One case stood out sharply — a Hindi-speaking youth who could not utter a single word in Assamese and appeared uncertain even about the name of his village. When a reporter asked why he could not speak Assamese, the youth replied: "Mein gareeb hun" — I am poor.

In a separate and more direct incident, a youth from Uttar Pradesh — who identified himself as a student of IIT Guwahati — approached Congress's Dispur candidate Mira Barthakur, asking her to arrange for him to vote in the election.

The youth told Barthakur that if she made the arrangement, he would vote for her — and could also secure four or five additional votes in her favour.

A stunned Barthakur refused outright and immediately called the media. The youth then showed reporters four or five voter identity cards belonging to his family — all issued in Uttar Pradesh.

The youth is now in police custody. Hatigaon Police are working to verify whether he is genuinely enrolled at IIT Guwahati, confirm his real identity, and determine his intentions.

Under election rules, only individuals whose names appear on the voter list in Assam are eligible to vote in the state. Sources noted that most of those who arrived in the past two days belong to a religious minority community.

Civil society groups are urging polling officials, polling agents, and the general public to remain alert and ensure that no ineligible person is allowed to cast a vote.