GUWAHATI: Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly advocated for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Assam while addressing a political rally in Kamarhati, West Bengal.
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During his address, Sarma praised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suggesting he should be honoured with the Bharat Ratna for his role in conducting the SIR process.
In a post on X on Thursday, April 23, the Assam Chief Minister lauded the Election Commission of India for efficiently carrying out the exercise and ensuring peaceful and orderly elections. “The Election Commission has done an excellent job with the SIR and in ensuring peaceful and orderly elections,” he wrote.
Sarma’s call for a similar revision in Assam is significant given the state’s long-standing debates around citizenship, voter identity, and electoral rolls. The issue remains politically sensitive, particularly in the context of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and concerns over illegal immigration.
Expressing confidence in his party’s electoral prospects, Sarma claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party would win at least 100 seats in Assam and 200 seats in West Bengal.
His remarks came after polling for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Thursday. According to the Election Commission of India, the state recorded a voter turnout of 91.91 per cent in Phase I.
