Deletion of 245 Voters’ Names Sparks Outrage in Nalbari, Assamese Muslims Allege Targeted Harassment

A controversy has erupted in Assam’s Nalbari district following the deletion of names of 245 voters from the electoral rolls without prior notice, triggering strong reactions from local residents, most of whom identify themselves as Assamese Muslims.

According to local sources, the voters’ names were allegedly removed through Form 7 during the ongoing special revision of the electoral roll, without informing the affected individuals. The incident has been reported from Janigog village under the Nalbari Sadar constituency, where residents have expressed anger over what they term as arbitrary and discriminatory action.

For decades, villagers have been casting their votes at the Dakshin Janigog Primary School polling station. Tensions escalated after the local Booth Level Officer (BLO) reportedly informed villagers that the names of 245 voters from the polling centre had been deleted. The revelation led to panic and widespread protests within the village.

Residents have alleged that an unscrupulous group filed complaints with the intent of harassing voters, leading to the removal of their names from the voter list. They further claimed that the action disproportionately affected Assamese Muslim voters, while no Hindu voters from the same polling centre were impacted.

Speaking to the media, one of the affected voters said that there are two polling centres in the school.
“In centre one, 147 voters’ names have been removed, and in centre two, 98 names have been deleted. In total, 245 voters have been affected,” he said.

Expressing his anguish, the voter added, “I have been voting here even before Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appeared for his Class 10 matriculation exam in 1985. Now our names are suddenly removed. This is vote bank politics. We believed the BJP was a party of educated people, but we have been proven wrong.”

The voter further alleged that upon enquiring with the BLO, he was told that complaints had been lodged by individuals identified as Rupak Sarma and Bhaskar Sarma, accusing the affected voters of being ‘Miya’, which allegedly led to the deletion of their names. “I am not a Miya. I am an Assamese Muslim,” he asserted.

He also claimed that none of the 230 Hindu voters at the same polling centre had their names deleted, raising serious questions about selective targeting. “What does this indicate if only Muslim voters are affected?” he asked, alleging that the state government is indulging in divisive politics.

On Wednesday evening, the affected voters gathered at the premises of Dakshin Janigog Primary School and demanded immediate restoration of their names in the electoral roll. They warned the authorities against what they described as false harassment and threatened to launch protests if their grievances are not addressed promptly.

The protestors also cautioned that they would prevent polling activities at the centre if they are denied their voting rights. They urged the Election Commission and district administration to intervene and ensure a fair and transparent resolution of the issue.

As of the filing of this report, there has been no official response from the election authorities or the district administration regarding the allegations.

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