Assam Excluded from Phase Two Voter Roll Revision Due to Unique Citizenship Rules: ECI

Guwahati: Assam has been notably left out of the second phase of the nationwide voter roll revision, a significant exercise launched after 21 years, due to its distinct citizenship regulations, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced.

While 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, are set for the update ahead of next year’s assembly elections, Assam will follow a separate revision schedule.

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Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar explained to reporters that Assam’s unique citizenship framework requires tailored revision orders. “The citizenship rules in Assam differ from the rest of the country, necessitating a separate special intensive revision (SIR) process and a distinct timeline,” Kumar stated.

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The second phase, covering Andaman and Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, will begin enumeration from November 4 to December 4. Draft electoral rolls will be published on December 9, with appeals against exclusions accepted until January 8. Appeals will be resolved by January 31, and the final voter list will be released on February 7.

The revision process was first rolled out in Bihar, where assembly elections are scheduled next month, during June and July. The ECI added that the updates aim to ensure accurate voter lists by addressing issues like duplicate registrations and erroneous inclusions, with Assam’s unique process to be detailed separately.