In a recent assembly session, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma disclosed that Assam still has 91,385 D-voters on its electoral rolls, despite previous claims of removals.
Shillong, India Jul 13, 2026 ALN: Nearly five months after asserting that lakhs of doubtful voters had been removed from Assam's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed on Monday that 91,385 "Doubtful-voters" remain on the state's electoral rolls.
Responding to a query from Congress MLA Nurul Islam during the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Sarma indicated that Sonitpur district has the highest number of D-voters at 13,719, followed by Barpeta with 8,081, while Udalguri and Nagaon each have over 7,800 such voters. This revelation underscores the ongoing complexity surrounding voter identification and citizenship in Assam, a state that has been grappling with issues of illegal immigration and citizenship verification for decades.
The process of marking individuals as D-voters has been in effect in Assam since 1997, in accordance with Election Commission directives, for individuals whose citizenship credentials are deemed doubtful or disputed. The D-voter classification was introduced as a mechanism to address concerns over illegal immigration, particularly from Bangladesh, which has been a contentious issue in the region. The designation is primarily applied to individuals whose names appear on the electoral rolls but whose citizenship status cannot be conclusively verified.
In his capacity as Minister in charge of the Home and Political Department, Sarma stated that of the D-voter cases adjudicated thus far, 56,728 individuals have been declared foreigners by Foreigners' Tribunals (FTs). This statistic reflects the stringent measures in place to regulate and verify the citizenship of residents in Assam, a state that has seen significant demographic changes over the years due to migration. The D-voter issue has its roots in the historical context of Assam, where the influx of migrants, particularly from Bangladesh, has led to a complex interplay of cultural, ethnic, and political dynamics.
Additionally, 831 individuals were subsequently declared foreigners by courts after appealing to the Gauhati High Court. This highlights the legal avenues available for individuals marked as D-voters to challenge their status, though the process can be lengthy and fraught with complexity. Conversely, the tribunals have recognized 65,171 D-voters as Indian citizens, with the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court acknowledging 42 and three individuals, respectively, as Indian citizens. This indicates that while a significant number of D-voters have been confirmed as citizens, a considerable portion remains in legal limbo, raising concerns about the fairness and efficiency of the adjudication process.
In response to another question raised by Congress MLA Wazed Ali Choudhury, Sarma noted that the number of D-voters in Assam was initially 1,99,596 when the category was introduced in 1997. This historical context is essential to understanding the evolution of the issue, as it illustrates the scale of the problem from its inception to the present day. He informed the House that 2,44,144 D-voter cases have been referred to Foreigners' Tribunals to date. Of these, 2,05,659 cases have been resolved, resulting in 56,728 individuals being declared foreigners. This resolution rate, while significant, also raises questions about the efficiency and fairness of the adjudication process.
Furthermore, Sarma stated that aside from D-voter references, the Assam Border Police has forwarded 1,90,657 other suspected foreigner cases to Foreigners' Tribunals. Of these, 1,55,490 cases have been resolved, with 1,15,945 individuals declared foreigners. The sheer volume of cases being processed by the tribunals underlines the extensive challenges faced by the state in managing immigration and citizenship issues. Out of the total individuals declared foreigners through the tribunal process, 31,789 have been expelled, Sarma added. This expulsion process is a critical aspect of Assam's strategy to address illegal immigration and uphold the integrity of its electoral rolls.
Introduced by the Election Commission in 1997, the D-voter category is unique to Assam and pertains to individuals whose citizenship status is under question. This designation has been a focal point of political discourse in the state, particularly in the context of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Such voters are prohibited from exercising their voting rights until their citizenship claims are resolved by Foreigners' Tribunals and subsequent judicial processes. The introduction of the NRC aimed to create a comprehensive register of citizens, which further complicates the situation for D-voters, as their status directly impacts their ability to be included in the NRC.
The D-voter issue remains one of the most contentious topics in Assam's political and social landscape. Numerous elections have been contested over the matter of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, who are initially marked as D-voters if their names appear on the electoral rolls. This has led to heightened tensions among various communities within Assam, with differing opinions on how to address the issue of citizenship and immigration. The political ramifications of the D-voter classification have been profound, influencing party platforms, electoral strategies, and public sentiment. Various political parties have leveraged the D-voter issue to galvanize support, often leading to polarized views among the electorate.
Deletion or regularization of a D-voter is conducted as per orders from the Foreigners' Tribunals and subsequent judgments from higher courts. This process has implications not only for the individuals involved but also for the broader societal context in which these decisions are made. The ongoing legal battles and public debates surrounding D-voters highlight the complexities of identity, belonging, and citizenship in a state marked by diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The implications of being classified as a D-voter extend beyond electoral participation; they can affect access to government services, employment opportunities, and social standing within the community.
As Assam moves forward, the resolution of the D-voter issue will likely continue to be a pivotal concern for policymakers, legal authorities, and residents alike. The future of the remaining D-voters, as well as the broader implications for Assam's demographic landscape, will shape the political discourse in the region for years to come. The challenge lies in balancing the need for security and identity verification with the fundamental rights and dignity of individuals caught in the crossfire of these contentious debates. The ongoing discourse around D-voters also raises questions about the broader implications for human rights and the treatment of marginalized communities within the framework of national security and immigration policy.
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