Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday made a controversial remark targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state, saying they should not be allowed to vote in India and should instead exercise their franchise in neighbouring Bangladesh.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Mahmara in Charaideo district, Sarma used the term “Miyas” while claiming that, under existing rules, members of the community should be prevented from voting in Assam. He said the state government had taken steps to ensure they do not figure in the voters’ list.
“As per the rules, Miyas should not get to vote here; they should cast their ballots in Bangladesh. To ensure that they don’t get to vote in Assam, we have taken certain measures,” Sarma said.
Sarma On SIR
Sarma added that once a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is carried out in Assam, around 4 to 5 lakh names would be removed. However, Assam is currently undergoing only a special revision (SR) of electoral rolls, which differs from an SIR in several aspects. Unlike an SIR, the SR does not involve document verification by booth-level officers, scrutiny of linkages with base rolls, or detailed checks beyond the distribution of enumeration forms during house-to-house visits.
He further said that criticism from the Congress would not deter him, adding that his responsibility was to make the targeted group “uncomfortable”.
Officials have clarified that the Election Commission is conducting a special revision and not an SIR because the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), aimed at identifying illegal foreigners in the state, is yet to be completed.
EC’s Draft Electoral Roll
The Election Commission published the draft electoral rolls on December 27, listing 25.1 million voters in Assam. It said that during door-to-door verification, nearly 4.8 lakh electors were found to have died, over 5.2 lakh had shifted residence, and more than 53,000 had multiple entries. The window for filing claims and objections closed on January 22, with disposal scheduled by February 2 and the final rolls to be released on February 10.
Meanwhile, several opposition parties, including the Congress, have alleged serious irregularities during the ongoing revision exercise. Leaders from the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad and CPI(M) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer, seeking immediate intervention to ensure the process remains fair and that genuine voters are not excluded.
Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP of attempting to influence the electoral rolls to retain power, alleging manipulation during the Election Commission’s revision process.
