Assam’s Power Order (Institutional): Top 10 most powerful individuals with institutional authority 

Power in India is usually seen through the prism of politics—elections won, speeches made, laws announced. But its real movement is quieter. It travels through a small circle of officials who control intelligence, money, law, policing and narrative. These are the men and women in the civil services, the police and the judiciary who translate political intent into administrative reality, shape outcomes on the ground and retain the confidence of the political establishment because they deliver.

For the first time, India Today NE maps this bureaucratic core of Assam: the individuals who make files move, defuse crises and keep institutions standing. Two individuals on this list are neither based in Assam nor part of its administration or judiciary. Yet, by virtue of hailing from the state, they wield substantial influence within Assam’s socio-political circles. More critically, this list is not about rank or longevity. It is about consequence. These are the individuals who may not seek spotlight, but when institutions are tested or the state is under strain, it is their decisions that endure.

Their authority is exercised not through slogans or rallies, but through files signed, orders issued and judgments delivered. This is the power that steadies governance, unseen, unspectacular, but decisive.

1. Tapan Kumar Deka, 62  | Director, Intelligence Bureau

The most powerful officer from Assam today. As IB chief, Deka sits atop India’s intelligence pyramid, with access to information that defines political fortunes. A 1988-batch IPS officer from Himachal Pradesh cadre, his authority comes not from visibility but from what he knows, and when he knows it.

 

2. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, 61  | Judge, Supreme Court of India

Bhuyan’s influence lies in jurisprudence, not administration. His recent dissent against retrospective environmental clearances, calling it a “step in retrogression”, cemented his reputation as a judge willing to confront executive convenience. From the Bilkis Bano remission verdict to sharp rebukes of state excesses, his pen carries institutional weight.

3.        Justice Ashutosh Kumar, 59  | Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court

As Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, his power lies not only in the judgments he delivers, but in the benches he constitutes, the cases he prioritises and the judicial tone he sets for the entire region the court serves. From constitutional challenges and governance disputes to service matters and civil liberties, nothing of consequence in Assam’s legal landscape moves without passing through his court. In a state where policy, policing and politics are frequently tested in law, the Chief Justice’s authority functions as the final institutional check, quiet, procedural and decisive.

4.        Devajit Saikia, 56  | Advocate General, Assam | Secretary, BCCI

Saikia occupies a rare intersection of law, politics and sport. As Assam’s AG, he is the state’s top legal voice. As BCCI secretary, he helps run India’s most powerful sporting body. His proximity to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and rapport with ICC chairman Jay Shah amplify his reach, from Test matches in Guwahati to Assam’s presence in Indian cricket.

5.        Ravi Kota, 59  | Chief Secretary, Assam

The bureaucratic anchor of the state. Low-profile, rule-bound and trusted across political lines, Kota represents continuity and control. In a system that prizes discretion, his restraint is his strength.

6.        Biswajit Pegu, 45  | Commissioner & Secretary, Home & Political Departments

Young, quiet and effective, Pegu’s rise reflects institutional trust. Handling the sensitive Home and Political departments, he operates at the nerve centre of law, order and electoral management, without courting attention.

7.        Harmeet Singh, 57  | Director General of Police, Assam

Flamboyant but pragmatic, Singh prefers outcomes over confrontation. His leadership style blends visibility with operational ease, keeping the police force responsive while avoiding unnecessary friction with the political executive.

8.        Partha Sarathi Mahanta, 56  | Commissioner of Police, Guwahati

Mahanta routinely punches above his rank. Well-networked, culturally engaged and close to the chief minister, he has turned Guwahati policing into a high-profile assignment, where access matters as much as authority.

9.       Diganta Barah, 49  | Commissioner & Secretary, Tourism | Additional Charge, Home & Political Department (Forensics, Jails, and Home Guards)

An IPS officer often trusted with civil-administration roles, Barah’s career signals government confidence. His dual responsibilities—tourism promotion and internal security functions—place him at a rare junction of growth and control.

10. Kumar Padmapani Bora, 42  | Commissioner & Secretary, Information & Public Relations | MD, Assam Tourism Development Corporation

An IRS officer with a delivery record. Bora helped drive Assam’s tourism push and rising footfalls, earning continued charge of ATDC even after moving to Information & Public Relations. He now manages the state’s narrative machinery, another recognition of performance.