The Assam Chief Electoral Officer has issued a high-priority directive to all district officials to prepare for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This move comes ahead of an official schedule from the Election Commission, expected within the next 15 to 20 days.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been a strong proponent of the SIR, stating that it is essential to cleanse the voter lists of alleged illegal entries and the names of deceased people. He has argued that an overhaul is necessary to weed out illegal immigrants and ensure the integrity of the voting process. Booth-level officers (BLOs) are being trained to collect necessary documents from new voters and verify the eligibility of existing ones.
This administrative push coincides with a national political controversy surrounding the SIR process, particularly in Bihar. Opposition parties, including the INDIA bloc, have expressed concerns that the exercise could be used to politically motivatedly purge voter rolls and disenfranchise vulnerable communities, particularly minorities who may lack proper documentation.
