BJP candidate Devasish Sharma files nomination for Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll
BJP candidate and former IAS officer Devasish Sharma filed his nomination for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election on Wednesday. His entry has sharpened the contest as Congress questions his poll-related role during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner.
- Sep 16, 2026,
- Updated Sep 16, 2026, 3:01 PM IST
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Devasish Sharma on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam, scheduled to be held on October 6.
Sharma, a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, took voluntary retirement from service before entering electoral politics. He had resigned as Nagaon Deputy Commissioner on September 3 and subsequently joined the BJP.
A 2011-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Sharma was appointed Nagaon Deputy Commissioner in June 2025. Prior to his posting in Nagaon, he served as Deputy Commissioner of neighbouring Morigaon district, which also falls under the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency.
His candidature has also drawn scrutiny from the Congress. Congress MP Rakibul Hussain has reportedly approached the Election Commission seeking a review of poll-related actions taken by Sharma during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer.
The Congress has raised concerns over Sharma’s involvement in election-related responsibilities during his tenure, including electronic voting machines, polling arrangements, staff deployment and implementation of Election Commission directives.
The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party and subsequently joined the BJP. Bordoloi later contested and won the Assam Assembly election from Dispur, necessitating the by-election.
The Nagaon constituency has been represented by the Congress for the past decade and has a significant Muslim population, making the upcoming bypoll a closely watched contest.