Guwahati ‘fake voter’ row: No fresh entries, says admin; complainant reacts

Guwahati, Apr 9: As polling progresses across Assam, voter turnout has reached 38.98% till 11 am, even as the Kamrup (Metro) district administration moved to quell concerns over alleged “fake voters” in Guwahati, dismissing the claims as misleading following a viral social media video.

The clarification came in response to a viral video posted by one Nilakshi Sharma, a resident of Ward No. 37 in the New Guwahati constituency.

In the video uploaded on Wednesday evening, she alleged that 12 unknown individuals had been fraudulently listed as voters at her residential address, House No. 33, despite only four legitimate voters residing there.

Taking cognisance of the complaint, the district administration initiated a preliminary inquiry and released its findings, detailing the inclusion history of the names in question.

According to the official notification, seven individuals were added to the electoral roll in the 2014 supplementary list and another seven in 2015, all under polling stations linked to the 53 Gauhati East Legislative Assembly constituency.

The administration clarified that these entries were not recent additions.

It further stated that no fresh applications for inclusion, deletion or correction of these names had been submitted during the ongoing election cycle.

“No new Form 6, Form 7 or Form 8 has been submitted in respect of the names mentioned above,” the notification said.

The administration also noted that verification carried out by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) confirmed that the individuals listed, including Tek Bahadur Chetri and Don Ayengia, are long-time residents of the area, and their addresses have been duly verified.

Additionally, it pointed out that Sharma’s own name had been deleted from the electoral roll following a change of residence processed through Form 8.

Reiterating its position, the district administration urged the public not to be misled by unverified claims circulating on social media, particularly during the sensitive election period.

Responding to the clarification, Sharma said she had received further inputs after her video gained traction online.

“From the reply, I understand that Don Ayengia and some others were traced based on 2015 records. After my video went viral, I received several calls saying that Don Ayengia resides in House No. 3. My husband also visited and met the family. However, I am not aware of the other names, as House No. 33, which belongs to my father-in-law, has never had tenants. My husband grew up there, so I do not understand how these names are linked to our address,” she said.

She also thanked the authorities for their prompt response. “I thank the district administration and election officials for taking prompt action despite their busy schedule,” she added.

Polling in the state is underway, with authorities maintaining that due process has been followed to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls.