Voter trends diverge across Assam after SR; Muslim-majority districts see gains, tribal areas record decline

The final electoral roll published after the Special Revision (SR) exercise in Assam has revealed contrasting district-wise trends, with several Muslim-majority districts registering an increase in voters, while most tribal-dominated and upper Assam districts recorded a decline compared to the draft roll.

According to data available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, 24 of the state’s 35 districts saw a reduction in the number of electors in the final list, while 11 districts registered an increase. The changes ranged from marginal shifts of a few hundred voters to variations exceeding 30,000.

In western or lower Assam, Muslim-majority districts such as Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara and Barpeta recorded a rise in voter numbers. The increase ranged from around 200 in South Salmara to over 25,000 in Barpeta. In central Assam, Morigaon and Nagaon also saw an increase, whereas Darrang and Hojai recorded a decline.

In the Barak Valley region, two of the three districts—Cachar and Sribhumi—reported a dip in voter numbers, while Hailakandi registered an increase in the final roll.

By contrast, all three hill districts—Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong—covered under the Sixth Schedule, recorded a decline in electoral strength. The five districts under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), also governed under the Sixth Schedule provisions, similarly saw a decrease in voters compared to the draft roll.

Kamrup and Kamrup (Metropolitan), which includes Guwahati, also witnessed a reduction in voter numbers. In eastern or upper Assam and the adjoining northern bank districts, 10 out of 11 districts recorded a dip, with only Majuli registering a marginal increase of around 100 voters.

The Election Commission had on Tuesday published the final electoral roll for the poll-bound state, deleting over 2.43 lakh names from the draft roll. Following the completion of claims and objections under the SR process, the final list comprises 2.49 crore electors, reflecting a 0.97 per cent decrease from the draft figures.

The SR exercise had triggered political controversy, with opposition parties alleging that the revision process was being misused to target genuine citizens, particularly from minority communities. The Chief Minister had earlier stated that over five lakh complaints were lodged by BJP workers against suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants during the exercise, and had remarked that notices were primarily being served to “Miyas” as part of the verification process.

The term “Miya,” historically used as a pejorative reference to Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, has in recent years been reappropriated by sections of the community as a form of cultural and political assertion.

With assembly elections approaching, the district-wise shifts in voter numbers are expected to draw continued political scrutiny.