Voter Numbers Rise in Muslim-Majority Districts, Decline in Tribal Regions as Assam Completes Special Electoral Revision

Guwahati: Assam has completed its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the final voter list published after a statewide verification drive. Interestingly, the updated figures reveal a noticeable rise in voter numbers across several Muslim-majority districts, while many tribal-dominated regions have recorded a significant decline.

Assam’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anurag Goyal announced that the SIR process officially concluded on February 10, after being initiated in November across all 35 districts of the state.

House-to-House Verification Conducted

Unlike routine revisions, the recent SIR exercise involved extensive door-to-door verification conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). The process aimed at identifying eligible voters, verifying records, and collecting necessary forms for corrections and updates.

During this verification, officials identified nearly 6.27 lakh new voters who have attained or are nearing the age of 18 years.

As part of the final revision process, approximately 5.86 lakh new names were added to the electoral rolls, while over 2.43 lakh names were removed from the draft list.

24 Districts Witness Decline, 11 See Increase

According to district-wise figures shared on the CEO’s official website, out of Assam’s 35 districts:

• 24 districts recorded a decline in voter numbers
• 11 districts reported an increase

The changes varied from a few hundred to over 30,000 voters in some regions.

The data also indicates that the three hill districts, along with five districts under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) — known for a predominantly tribal population — witnessed a major drop in registered voters. Additionally, Kamrup and Kamrup (Metropolitan), including Guwahati, also recorded a decrease.

CEO Defends Drop in Voter Numbers

Responding to concerns and political speculation, CEO Anurag Goyal stated that the revision process ensured a cleaner and error-free voter list. He added that such reductions are common in intensive revisions, as duplicate, shifted, or ineligible entries are filtered out.

He cited examples from other states where similar revision exercises resulted in comparable drops in voter registrations.

The final voter list reflects a reduction of nearly 0.97% compared to the draft electoral roll.

Public Asked to Verify Names

The CEO appealed to the citizens of Assam to verify their names in the newly published electoral roll.

Voters can check their details through the Voter Helpline App, the official portal voters.eci.gov.in, or by contacting their local BLO.

Goyal clarified that the updating process has already begun and will continue until the final deadline for nominations, ensuring that eligible citizens are not excluded from the electoral roll.

Significance of the Findings

The revised voter list has attracted attention due to the contrasting trends seen across districts—particularly the increase in Muslim-majority areas and decline in tribal regions. The updated data is expected to fuel political debate in the state, especially ahead of upcoming electoral developments.