Dhubri, Feb 13: A significant administrative lapse has come to light in Dhubri town following the publication of the 2026 Electoral Roll (S03 Assam), which reportedly still lists senior officials who retired or were transferred nearly a decade ago. The anomaly has sparked concerns about the accuracy of the recent Special Revision exercise.
The discrepancy pertains to Official Quarters No. 28 and 29, government residences traditionally allocated to district officers. Although these quarters are now occupied by current officials, the electoral roll continues to display names of former bureaucrats long posted elsewhere. Notable entries include Rajani Kanta Deka, a former Senior Planning Officer who retired around 2014–15, and Pranab Kumar Sarmah (ACS, 1992 batch), who served as SDO (Sadar) and Additional Deputy Commissioner in Dhubri before taking up senior positions elsewhere.
The issue has raised questions about the effectiveness of the Special Summary Revision, which was carried out with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date. Booth Level Officers are tasked with conducting house-to-house verification to remove “shifted” or deceased voters and ensure roll accuracy. Yet, the final roll, digitally signed by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), still reflects outdated occupancy details for key government quarters.
Residents and observers have expressed concern that if official bungalows in the district headquarters are inaccurately recorded, there is little assurance about the reliability of voter lists in remote areas. Critics argue that the repeated appearance of “legacy” entries points to systemic lapses rather than mere clerical oversight.
With the 2026 Assam Assembly elections approaching, the anomaly has drawn heightened scrutiny. Citizens and local stakeholders are calling for immediate clarification from the district administration on how decade-old names remained on the electoral roll despite multiple revision cycles and established procedures requiring updates whenever official quarters are re-allotted. The administration has yet to issue a formal response.
