Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 24 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday defended Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid the ongoing row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying criticism of the CEC reflected the “frustration” of the Opposition and calling its critics “Dimagi Naxals”.
Addressing a press conference, Sarma said decisions of the Election Commission are taken collectively and argued that the CEC cannot independently take decisions without the involvement of the other Election Commissioners.
“The Election Commission can’t take any decision when the Chief Election Commissioner or other Election Commissioner are in minority. Every decision of Election Commission has to be passed or has to be taken in a form of majority, because it is a collective body,” Sarma said.
He added that portraying the CEC as taking decisions unilaterally was inconsistent with the constitutional framework governing the poll panel.
“So to send a message across the country that Chief Election Commissioner has taken decisions unitary doesn’t fit in the constitutional scheme. Pre-discussion decisions are different things, but any decision that has arrived by the Election Commission has to be on consensus or by a majority opinion,” he said.
Sarma said the Opposition’s focus on the CEC amounted to a political campaign.
“That is why targeting Chief Election Commissioner is a political campaign and I don’t think that factually Chief Election Commissioner can take any decision without consulting other Election Commissioners. So targeting Chief Election Commissioner shows only the frustration of oppositions and the Dimagi Naxals,” he said.
His remarks came amid an escalating political controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission following a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months on matters related to electoral-roll procedures and SIR.
The Election Commission, however, has said that differing views, written observations and technical suggestions are part of the normal decision-making process and maintained that all final decisions, including those concerning SIR, were unanimous.
Sarma, meanwhile, also announced a series of decisions taken by the Assam Cabinet.
He said the Cabinet had approved the Assam Muslim Marriage Registration Compulsory Rule, 2026. The government also decided to provide Rs 1,500 to each Orunodoi beneficiary in October for Durga Puja, instead of the usual Rs 1,250.
The Cabinet also approved a 20 per cent Durga Puja bonus for tea gardens under the Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL).
Sarma said the state government had decided to take a Rs 796-crore loan from the Asian Development Bank for the development of wetlands and fisheries. Of this amount, Rs 637 crore will be repaid by the Government of India, while the Assam government will repay Rs 159 crore. The project will cover 102 wetlands and fisheries across the state.
The Chief Minister further said the state would establish a state-of-the-art laboratory in coordination with the Spice Board at Ulubari to facilitate the export of spices produced in Assam.
He also announced that women members of Self Help Groups would be allowed to obtain Aadhaar enrolment or related services until March 31, 2027.
The Cabinet also approved an investment of Rs 11,000 crore by JK Lakshmi Cement in Assam, while 256 bighas of land would be allotted for establishing an Agriculture College in Patharkandi.
On upcoming local elections, Sarma said the Mising Autonomous Council and Sonowal Autonomous Council elections would be held in November and would be conducted on a party-less basis. (ANI)
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