On Monday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced that Assam has been excluded from the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. This decision has become a topic of discussion across the state, as Assam is scheduled to hold assembly elections next year. The Election Commission clarified that this step was taken in view of the state’s unique legal and procedural situation, which relates to the Citizenship Act and the ongoing NRC process under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
Assam’s Separate Legal Framework and Section 6A of the Citizenship Act
According to the Election Commission, Assam operates under a separate legal framework under Section 6A of the Citizenship Act of India, 1955. This provision was enacted under the Assam Accord of 1985 and determines the citizenship of those who came to the state between 1966 and 1971. For this reason, the nationally applicable SIR order does not automatically apply to Assam. The Election Commission stated that separate instructions will be issued for Assam after the NRC process is completed.
NRC and Supreme Court Oversight
This decision to exclude Assam from the NRC comes at a time when the Supreme Court has increased its oversight of the NRC process. In August 2025, the Supreme Court began hearing a petition filed by former NRC coordinator Hitesh Dev Sharma, seeking a re-verification of the 2019 NRC list, which excluded over 1.9 million people out of 34 million. The petition stated that widespread irregularities occurred in the NRC list and that a correct citizenship list is impossible without a re-verification. The Election Commission decided to halt the parallel voter list revision pending this judicial process to avoid any legal conflict.
Political Reactions and Counter-Accusations
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma supported the Election Commission’s decision and stated that the state government would follow the Commission’s directives. The Congress party has questioned the decision. Former MP Ripun Bora alleged that this move was taken to benefit certain political parties. The Congress party claimed to have trained 29,000 booth-level agents to closely monitor future voter list revisions.
Civil Society Demands and the Way Forward
The Assam Students’ Union (AASU) also recently reiterated its demand for a “clean and reliable voter list.” Samujjal Bhattacharya, the organization’s chief advisor, stated that Assam’s situation differs from other states, with many foreign voters still included in the list. He urged the Election Commission to conduct a thorough investigation after the NRC. Currently, Assam’s voter list revision has been postponed, but not canceled. Following the Supreme Court’s directives, the Election Commission will initiate a separate process for the state. This decision for Assam once again highlights the complex relationship between citizenship, identity, and democratic rights.
