Dark since 1947: Assam village challenges government's electrification claims, warns of election boycott

A village near the Assam–West Bengal border continues to live in darkness nearly eight decades after Independence, as residents of Garumarachor in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) erupt in protest over the complete absence of electricity. With hurricane lanterns still flickering in their homes and children studying under kerosene lamps, the villagers have issued a stark warning ahead of the elections: “No Electricity, No Vote.”

Men and women from Garumarachor village took to the streets holding placards and raising slogans demanding immediate electrification. Rallying in unison, they declared that political leaders should “provide electricity before the elections, then ask for our votes.” At a public meeting, the residents collectively resolved to boycott the upcoming polls if their decades-old demand for power connectivity is not fulfilled.

Garumarachor is located along the Assam–West Bengal border under the No. 3 Council Constituency of Kokrajhar district in the Bodoland Territorial Region. The village’s plight stands in sharp contrast to the Centre’s repeated claims that every village in India has been electrified. While official records may speak of universal electrification, the ground reality in this remote settlement tells a different story, one of neglect and unfulfilled promises.

For the impoverished residents, hurricane lanterns and kerosene lamps remain the only dependable sources of light. Students continue to pursue their education under dim oil lamps, battling both darkness and uncertainty as they cling to aspirations of a better future. A handful of comparatively better-off families have installed small private solar units to cope with the absence of a regular power supply, but most households remain entirely off-grid.

Garumarachor village No. 2 falls under the Gossaigaon Electrical Subdivision, yet grid connectivity has never reached its homes. With elections approaching, the spotlight is now firmly on the government and the concerned departmental authorities. Whether urgent steps will be taken to electrify the village before polling day or whether Garumarachor’s residents will translate their anger into an electoral boycott — remains to be seen.