Kharge, Rahul Gandhi strategize with Assam Congress on election prep, voter roll revision

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi convened a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday with leaders from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee to address preparations for the state's upcoming assembly elections and the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls.

Senior party figures, including Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, Assam PCC chief Gaurav Gogoi, AICC in-charge Jitendra Singh, and Congress Legislative Party leader Debabrata Saikia, participated in the discussions. The session focused on election readiness, voter roll procedures, and other pertinent state matters.

The meeting comes ahead of Assam's assembly elections, which are expected to take place in March or April next year. Party sources indicated that detailed strategies were reviewed, with special attention given to the synchronisation of election campaign planning and electoral roll management. The process of Special Revision of voter lists remains underway across Assam, reflecting the party's efforts to ensure comprehensive voter inclusion and compliance with Election Commission guidelines.

"Sources said that preparations for the assembly elections, SR, and other issues were discussed in the meeting." Party leaders highlighted the importance of aligning internal organisational efforts with the broader requirements set by the Election Commission of India, particularly regarding the preparation and accuracy of the state's voter lists.

According to recent instructions from the Election Commission to Assam's chief electoral officer, 1 January 2026 will serve as the qualifying date for the Special Revision of electoral rolls in the state. This qualifying date is critical, as it determines voter eligibility and underpins the accuracy of the upcoming electoral process.

Officials involved in the revision process have clarified the scope of the SR exercise. "Officials earlier said that the SR stands somewhere between the annual special summary revision and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls." This means the revision process aims for a balance between routine annual updates and more elaborate intensive efforts, to streamline voter roll management ahead of key elections.

Last month, the Election Commission directed Special Intensive Revision in 12 states and Union territories, including four regions set to hold elections in the coming year. The ongoing preparations in Assam, both by political parties and election authorities, are intended to ensure that the state is well-prepared for a transparent and efficient polling process in 2026.