Assam Congress Leaders Detained During Protest Against Election Commission

Protesters chanted slogans labeling the Election Commission a tool of the BJP, while scuffles broke out at police barricades. The party claims the commission is systematically deleting voter names through automated processes and creating barriers for 'Gen Z' voters via complex digital verification in Form 6. Gaurav Gogoi, who was forcibly taken into custody, accused the Election Commission of operating as an extension of the BJP's IT cell, alleging a broader conspiracy involving the Prime Minister and Home Minister to disenfranchise citizens.

The demonstration follows intensifying national scrutiny over the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation exercise. Reports indicate that other election commissioners raised internal objections multiple times regarding database access and procedural changes, though the Election Commission has dismissed these as routine administrative feedback. Under the 2023 Appointment Act, removing a Chief Election Commissioner requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority, a high legal hurdle that the Congress party now insists must be cleared to restore democratic integrity.