APCC flags threat of tempering in Panchayat polls, urge EC for strong security

Guwahati, May 9: The All Assam Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday submitted a memorandum to the State Election Commissioner seeking the deployment of adequate central forces in the ‘vulnerable counting locations’ ahead of the Panchayat election results, slated to be declared on Sunday.

In the memorandum, the APCC expressed concerns about potential hooliganism and forcible result tampering in counting halls.

It cited instances of booth capturing attempts during the second phase of polls across various parts of the state, suggesting that similar incidents could occur during the counting process

“Following the same vein we now have reason to believe that in certain vulnerable districts such as Nagaon, Morigaon, Dhubri, Darrang and Sonitpur, ruling party goons may try to infiltrate the counting halls, intimidate officials and manipulate the election results in their favour on counting day, i.e., the 11th of May'2025,” the memorandum read.

To prevent such incidents, the APCC has called for the deployment of adequate central security forces in the identified vulnerable areas.

“The district Returning Officers and other officials involved with the counting process should be forewarned that a strict protocol for impartial and transparent counting processes be maintained at all costs and that any dereliction will be dealt with stern action by the Election Commission,” the memorandum read. It further demanded that CCTV cameras be installed in all counting halls to monitor the proceedings on Sunday.

The APCC issued a memorandum to the Assam State Election Commission ahead of counting of votes of Panchayat polls (AT Photo)

Addressing the press after meeting the election commissioner, APCC President Bhupen Borah said that the level of hooliganism witnessed during Panchayat polls was unprecedented in Assam.

“The BJP has distributed money, used muscle power, and even misused police force during the Panchayat elections. This is something we had only heard of happening in Tripura, Bihar, and West Bengal. The BJP has created the same environment in Assam this time during Panchayat elections,” Borah told the press.

He further alleged that people have been physically abused in the course of elections.

“The higher-ups in the BJP have instructed that people must be physically abused or killed. Never before have we seen people being assaulted or killed during Panchayat elections in Assam” Borah asserted.

He added that the Election Commissioner assured them that the vote counting process would be carried out transparently.

“Wins or losses in many wards may take place by a very small margin. We have requested the Election Commissioner to ensure a uniform proptocol for recounting- there must be no separate rules to ensure BJP's victory or Congress's defeat. The law must be equal for all,” Borah told the press.

Borah further added that the Congress would stage a democratic protest if any irregularities were observed during the vote counting.