Debabrata Saikia, the leader of the opposition in Assam, accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in a letter of "serious irregularities" in the state's draft voting records, which were released following a Special Revision (SR).
In order to ensure that any unauthorized or "unknown" voter entries are eliminated, the senior Congress leader urged that the finalization of the election rolls be halted until "all irregularities are thoroughly verified and resolved".
With months till the assembly elections, Assam's integrated draft electoral roll, which was released on December 30 following the SR, shows a 1.35% rise in voter turnout.
"I'm writing to convey how deeply concerned I am about several anomalies found during Assam's ongoing SR of electoral records. In his letter to Mr. Kumar on Monday, January 5, 2026, Mr. Saikia stated, "Media reports and ground-level feedback indicate unauthorized inclusion of non-Assamese speaking voters and other procedural lapses that threaten the integrity of the electoral process."
He said that specific cases of "unknown" people being added as voters in homes without the residents' consent have surfaced. Mr. Saikia gave examples of four non-Assamese people who were enlisted at House Nos. 44 and 15 on Tayabulla Road in Guwahati without the family's knowledge, and voter entries against the Nazira constituency's nonexistent Household No. 00.
Such misconduct frequently goes unreported, which could result in these "unknown" voters casting ballots.The Congress senator asserted that the inclusion of entries under such fictitious designations not only violates procedural norms but also seriously jeopardizes the integrity and verifiability of the electoral roll, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the entire revision process.
Mr. Saikia said that such instances of "violations" represent a "grave threat" to Assamese security and democratic ideals, including constitutional rights and sociocultural legacy.
"Additionally, this incident reinforces Rahul Gandhi's allegation to the ECI regarding vote manipulation in the electorate's consciousness and exposes an extensive systemic problem," he stated.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma responded to the opposition's accusations over the draft roll by stating that anyone with complaints may "fill Form No 6, 7 and 8 to effect changes in the final electoral roll" in accordance with standard procedure.
"Instead of crying foul in the media, the Opposition should follow set procedures if they have any genuine concerns," he stated. Additionally, Mr. Saikia noted that although the "removal of more than 10 lakh individuals for various reasons" has occurred in the electoral draft, the surfacing of anomalies indicates that the electoral roll's legitimacy has been "compromised."
Therefore, before the election roll is finalized, data verification is crucial.The fundamental rights outlined in Clause 6 of the Assam Accord are violated by these malpractices, which also disregard the Hon'ble Supreme Court's directive to defend this constitutional guarantee, he said.
The Congress leader expressed concern that such irregularities could be seen in this context as an alleged attempt to "manipulate" the impending election process, so "undermining" the decisive voice of the lawful electorate of Assam.
These disparities erode public confidence in the democratic process in addition to breaking election regulations. In light of these concerns, I implore the Election Commission of India to act quickly to protect the legitimacy of the electoral roll and guarantee a free and fair electoral process," he continued. Mr. Saikia insisted that all disparities be promptly and openly investigated by the CEC, and that the results be made public.
"Halt the finalisation of electoral rolls until all irregularities are thoroughly verified and resolved, ensuring the removal of any unauthorised or 'unknown' voter entries," he stated.
In order to avoid such problems, Saikia also requested that the poll panel enhance verification procedures and establish a uniform addressing system.
"Elections are the foundation of our democracy, and any compromise in electoral roll accuracy undermines democratic values and public trust. He continued, "I have faith that the ECI will act decisively to protect the integrity of Assamese elections.
Compared to the previous final roll released in January 2025, the draft roll showed a total of 2,52,01,624 electors, an increase of 1.35%.
Between January 6 and December 27 of last year, there were 7,86,841 additions and 4,47,196 removals. 5,23,680 moved voters and 4,78,992 deceased electors were found throughout the SR process. There were an additional 53,619 multiple entries found.
However, according to the Indian Election Commission, these names have not yet been removed. Only once official applications are received during the current claims and objections period will these be processed for removal or moving.
With special campaign dates set for January 3-4 and January 10-11, claims and objections may be submitted between December 27 and January 22. On February 10, the final electoral roll will be released.
