Guwahati, Jan 9 (NationPress) The contentious issue surrounding the Special Revision of the electoral roll in Assam has escalated tensions between the BJP and the Congress party. Opposition leaders have accused the ruling party of exploiting the Election Commission to gain an unfair advantage in the upcoming Assembly elections.

A senior Congress leader expressed concerns on Friday, asserting that the state government is attempting to eliminate the names of voters who do not belong to the BJP's traditional support base. This action poses a significant threat to democracy and could have serious consequences for the integrity of the electoral process.

The Congress party is preparing to file a memorandum with the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, opposing the special revision of the electoral rolls.

Dhubri Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain has been particularly vocal against the BJP, claiming that the Election Commission has become a mere “puppet” of the ruling party.

Hussain alleged that despite promises from the Chief Electoral Officer that the Special Revision of voter rolls would proceed as a standard annual procedure, the reality on the ground is starkly different. He noted that Booth Level Supervisors were left in the dark during the preparation of the draft electoral rolls, leading to confusion and irregularities during the claims and objections stage.

He further accused the commission of large-scale misuse of Forms 6, 7, and 8, alleging violations of its own guidelines that allow only individual objections, yet one person was allowed to object to multiple voters.

“The rules permit only individual objections, yet one individual has been used to challenge numerous voters. This raises critical questions,” Hussain stated.

Directing his criticism at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hussain claimed that objections were being filed to remove legitimate voters while facilitating the addition of individuals from outside the state.

Moreover, he pointed out that political parties are not receiving regular updates on claims and objections, contrary to Election Commission regulations.

Former MP Ripun Bora echoed similar sentiments, accusing the BJP of transforming the Election Commission into a “puppet”. He noted that the draft electoral rolls released in late December and early January exhibited minimal changes, making scrutiny nearly impossible.

Bora raised concerns that the details of newly registered voters, as well as those deleted and transferred, were absent from the draft rolls, undermining the purpose of public objections.

He also alluded to reports of an alleged online meeting wherein the BJP’s Assam president instructed party leaders to identify voters who do not support the BJP, questioning why the Election Commission has not addressed this issue.

Additionally, he claimed that Booth Level Officers were being replaced mid-process under political duress, with reports of irregularities surfacing from several polling booths, including in Dispur.