Anger grows over delay in Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council elections in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh, Jan 10: Strong resentment is brewing over the continued delay in announcing elections to the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC), even though officials maintain that all necessary preparations have been completed.

The absence of an official poll schedule, with no explanation forthcoming from the State government, has triggered widespread anger and uncertainty within the Sonowal Kachari community.

Members of the Sonowal Kachari community on Friday staged a sit-in demonstration at the Chowkidingee intersection in Dibrugarh, raising slogans against the State government and demanding the immediate declaration of the election date.

The protest was jointly organised by the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union, the Sonowal Kachari Yuva Parishad, and the All Sonowal Kachari Society.

Speakers at the protest site sharply criticised what they termed as the government’s “indecisive and dilatory approach”, accusing the authorities of deliberately denying the Sonowal Kachari voters their political and constitutional rights by withholding the election notification.

Milan Sonowal, president of the Sonowal Kachari Yuva Parishad and former chief executive member of the SKAC, expressed deep dissatisfaction over the continued delay.

He expressed surprise that the State government had not proceeded with the elections despite completing all preliminary preparations.

“It is our constitutional right, and the Chief Minister cannot offer lame excuses to keep the election in abeyance,” he said.

Dipak Saikia, general secretary of the All Sonowal Kachari Society, warned that failure to conduct the elections at the earliest will force the community to launch a broader democratic, peaceful movement in the coming days.

Alleging political motives behind the delay, he said, “Out of fear of losing the elections as they did in the Bodoland Territorial Council recently, the BJP-led government under Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma is attempting to suppress the constitutional rights of the Sonowal Kachari community.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Budhin Sonowal, general secretary of the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union, described the election as a fundamental right of the community. “Any attempt to snatch this right will be met with a massive response. If election is not held immediately, the BJP-led government must be prepared to face the consequences in the approaching Assembly elections,” he warned.

At the conclusion of the protest, the demonstrators submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the district commissioner of Dibrugarh, reiterating their demand for the immediate conduct of elections to the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council.

The Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC) comprises a total of 32 constituencies spread across seven districts of Assam. Of these, Dibrugarh district accounts for the largest share with 13 constituencies – Rongchongi, Tengakhat, Kheremia, Kamargaon, Naharkatia, Khatuwa, Lepetkata, Mancotta, Kutuha, Khowang, Bamunbari, Tinthengia and Chaharikota.

The SKAC was established under the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council Act, 2005, enacted by the Assam Legislative Assembly, with its headquarters at the Milan Nagar Officers’ Colony.