Hundreds of Youth Congress workers staged a protest at the Manbendra Sharma Complex in Guwahati on Friday opposing the special revision of the voter list carried out by the Election Commission ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. The demonstrators raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the process and described the move as politically motivated, claiming it could undermine the democratic rights of the people of Assam.
The protest drew attention from local media and citizens, with participants holding banners and shouting slogans demanding accountability. The Youth Congress said the new rule, allowing anyone arriving in Assam just two days before polling to register and vote, could be misused and affect election outcomes.
Earlier, senior Congress leaders had strongly criticised the move. Bhupen Borah, Chairperson of the Campaign Committee of Assam Congress and former APCC president, called the decision “dangerous and unfair” and a threat to the identity and future of the Assamese people. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Borah said, “This is not democracy. Elections are like a festival in Assam. Allowing outsiders to vote just two days before polling disrupts the spirit of democracy and harms Assamese culture and tradition.” 
Borah also questioned Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s confidence in a “clean sweep” in the 2026 Assembly elections, linking it to the Election Commission’s sudden relaxation of voter inclusion rules. He warned that large numbers of non-residents could temporarily enter Assam and cast votes, raising serious concerns about voter integrity.
Supporting Borah’s view, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia described the move as “borderless voting” and an attack on Assamese rights. While he said the Election Commission’s rules were valid in theory, he demanded strict verification of residence, transparent removal of names from previous state voter lists, and no special revisions so close to elections. Saikia also suggested that Assam should use the 2024 electoral rolls for the 2026 polls with only standard annual updates, citing examples from other states where voter manipulation had been alleged.
