2 Congress leaders held over SR row, released on bail in Lakhimpur

North Lakhimpur, Dec 6: Two Congress leaders from North Lakhimpur have been released on bail following disputes over Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls for 2026 assembly elections.

Hem Chandra Baruah and Dilwar Hussain, president and secretary respectively, of Town Block Congress of North Lakhimpur, were detained by police on December 3 afternoon following complaints by Lakhimpur BJP, alleging obstruction to government officials during duty.

According to Congress sources, a dispute started during the SR work by Booth Level Officer (BLO) during a door-to-door verification at a household at Ward No. 14 (C) of East Chanmari area of North Lakhimpur on December 3. Reportedly, BLO Krishnashree Bora deleted the name of one Jahangir Alam from the electoral roll in coordination with Booth Level Assistant (BLA), Udita Das. As BLAs are appointed by political parties and Udita Das was from the ruling BJP, Jahangir Alam phoned the Block Congress president Hem Chandra Baruah who reached the household along with Dilwar Hussain, and enquired about the matter, leading to an altercation between him and BLA, Udita Das. A group of BJP workers, who arrived at the household and lodged a complaint against the Congress leaders at the North Lakhimpur Sadar Police Station accusing them of obstructing a government official during official duties.

North Lakhimpur Police arrested Hem Chandra Baruah along with Dilwar Hussain vide Case No. 410/25, detained them for the night, and produced before the judicial authorities on December 4.

Reportedly, the arrested Congress leader, later lodged a complaint against the BLO for acting at the behest of the BLA from the BJP, and also accused the BLA of breaching the code of conduct of the Election Commission of India.

Talking to this correspondent after getting the bail, Hem Baruah said that he and the other Congress man were arrested by the police over false accusations. According to him, the BLO s duty on SR evaluation was carried out by the local ward commissioner of Ward No. 14 of North Lakhimpur, at a household in the East Chanmari area, which was objected to by him. Later, police arrested Hem Baruah and Dilwar Hussain after a complaint filed by the BLO.

While the arrested Congress leaders were released on bail, the Lakhimpur District Congress Committee has condemned the incident.