The political climate in Assam has intensified as the state heads toward the 2026 Assembly elections. In a major development, Congress alleges a dangerous conspiracy to manipulate Assam voter rolls, specifically targeting the ruling BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI). During a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan on January 8, senior leaders claimed that the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) process suffers from deep-seated irregularities. They argue that these actions aim to disenfranchise legitimate voters while favoring the ruling party’s electoral prospects.
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Congress Targets BJP and EC Over “Systemic” Irregularities
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has expressed grave concerns regarding the integrity of the draft electoral rolls published in late December. As the Congress alleges a dangerous conspiracy to manipulate Assam voter rolls, leaders Rakibul Hussain and Ripun Bora pointed to several procedural lapses. They claimed that the Election Commission has allowed “unauthorized” individuals to raise mass objections against voters, violating its own guidelines that typically permit only individual-to-individual objections.
Furthermore, the opposition highlighted a lack of transparency in the claims and objections process. Hussain alleged that Booth Level Supervisors (BLS) remain largely uninformed while draft rolls are prepared behind closed doors. This confusion, according to the Congress, prevents genuine citizens from rectifying errors or challenging wrongful deletions. The party has compared this situation to alleged “vote theft” tactics used in other states like Maharashtra and Haryana.
Specific Allegations of Voter Deletion and Outsider Inclusion
The allegations go beyond general procedural errors. Specifically, Congress alleges a dangerous conspiracy to manipulate Assam voter rolls through the selective removal of opposition supporters. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia recently wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner, citing instances where “unknown” persons were added to household lists without the knowledge of the residents. He provided examples from Guwahati where non-Assamese individuals were reportedly enrolled at local addresses.
Key allegations raised by the opposition include:
- Selective Deletions: The BJP is allegedly targeting 10,000 pro-opposition voters for deletion in at least 60 key constituencies.
- Unauthorized Inclusions: Names of unfamiliar individuals, allegedly from states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, are reportedly appearing on Assam’s rolls.
- Misuse of Forms: Large-scale misuse of Forms 6, 7, and 8 to effect changes without proper verification.
- Removal of Officials: Claims that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from specific communities are being replaced midway for refusing to follow political instructions.
Joint Opposition Files Police Complaint Against BJP Leaders
The protest has moved from press conferences to legal action. On January 9, 2026, a joint delegation of opposition parties—including Congress, CPI(M), Raijor Dal, and AJP—filed a formal police complaint at the Dispur Police Station. The complaint names state BJP president Dilip Saikia and Cabinet Minister Ashok Singhal. They allege that Saikia instructed party MLAs during a virtual meeting on January 4 to identify and delete opposition-leaning voters.
Because Congress alleges a dangerous conspiracy to manipulate Assam voter rolls, the opposition has demanded a forensic investigation into the recorded footage of that meeting. Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi claimed to have accessed the meeting, asserting that the BJP’s “evil design” involves using administrative machinery to alter the electorate’s demographic balance. The opposition parties have urged the police to seize digital records to prevent further “electoral engineering.”
BJP and Government Response to the Allegations
The ruling BJP has dismissed these claims as a sign of the opposition’s “frustration and directionless” politics. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified that the Election Commission operates independently and follows a set legal procedure. He stated that any citizen with concerns about the draft roll should use the established channels—specifically Forms 6, 7, and 8—rather than “crying foul” in the media.
The government maintains that the Special Summary Revision is a routine exercise aimed at cleaning the rolls of deceased and shifted voters. According to the ECI, the draft roll actually showed a 1.35% increase in total voters compared to the previous year. BJP spokespersons argued that the opposition is merely building an excuse for their expected defeat in the upcoming March-April elections.
The battle over the voter list has become the primary flashpoint of the 2026 election cycle. Since the Congress alleges a dangerous conspiracy to manipulate Assam voter rolls, public trust in the electoral process is being tested. With the final voter list scheduled for publication on February 10, the next few weeks will be critical. The Election Commission now faces the difficult task of addressing these high-profile complaints while ensuring that the “Special Revision” remains beyond political suspicion.
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