The Assam government has said that more than 2.4 lakh names have been removed from the state’s electoral rolls during the recent Special Revision exercise, a move that has once again brought the issue of citizenship and illegal immigration into the centre of state politics.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking at a press conference at Janata Bhawan in Dispur on January 11 said many of the deleted names were identified after complaints filed by BJP workers across different districts. He described the exercise as part of the government’s continued effort to identify and remove ‘doubtful voters,’ whom he linked to suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
According to the final electoral rolls published by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on February 10, a total of 2,43,485 names were deleted from the draft list released in December 2025. The final number of voters in Assam now stands at 2,49,58,139 across the state’s 126 Assembly constituencies, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Officials said the deletions were made for several reasons, including deaths, permanent migration, duplicate entries and ineligible voters. Verification was carried out through house-to-house checks conducted between November and December 2025, followed by a claims and objections period that ended on January 22.
At the press conference, the Chief Minister said this exercise was only the beginning and that more names could be removed during a future Special Intensive Revision, which is expected to take place after the elections. He also said some BJP workers faced threats while filing complaints but continued to cooperate with the verification process.
The announcement has led to strong reactions from political leaders. Opposition parties, including the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) have accused the ruling party of trying to influence elections by removing voters, particularly from minority-dominated areas. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi criticized the move and demanded greater transparency in the verification process. Some civil society activists have also approached the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into alleged hate speech linked to statements made during the revision process.
The issue of citizenship and illegal immigration has remained highly sensitive in Assam for decades, especially after the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process and earlier political movements linked to the Assam Accord. The latest deletions are likely to become a major political issue in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections, with both the ruling party and opposition using the issue to mobilize voters.
Election Commission officials, however have said that the Special Revision is a routine administrative exercise aimed at ensuring that the electoral rolls remain accurate and updated. With more revisions expected in the coming days, the debate over voter lists, citizenship and identity politics is likely to remain at the centre of Assam’s political discussions.