Guwahati, April 15: A controversy has emerged in Assam’s electoral landscape after Debabrata Saikia, candidate from the 97 No. Nazira Assembly constituency, raised concerns over alleged lapses in the security of post-poll materials and sought urgent intervention from the Election Commission of India.
In a formal complaint addressed to Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel, Saikia alleged that the strong rooms designated for storing election papers were found in a compromised state during his visit to the Material Safety Cell. He claimed that the condition of these storage facilities posed a serious risk to the integrity of the electoral process.
According to the complaint, Rooms 11, 12, and 13—used for storing election materials from Nazira and adjoining constituencies—did not meet prescribed security standards. Several doors were reportedly loosely secured, single-locked, or shut from inside without proper sealing. Only one out of six doors was said to have a functional double-lock system, while a door containing materials from the Nazira constituency could allegedly be opened with minimal external pressure.
Saikia further alleged that there was no dedicated security presence at the site. Personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force stationed nearby reportedly indicated that guarding the strong rooms did not fall under their assigned responsibilities, raising questions about the adequacy of security arrangements.
Highlighting established guidelines, the Congress leader noted that strong rooms must adhere to strict protocols, including double-lock systems, round-the-clock security, CCTV surveillance, proper sealing, and maintenance of entry logs under continuous monitoring. He alleged that these norms were not being followed, and also flagged concerns over the improper storage of sensitive election documents such as statutory forms and sealed packets.
Terming the situation a serious threat to transparency, Saikia has urged the Election Commission to initiate an immediate inquiry, reinforce security measures, and take action against those found responsible. The poll body has not yet issued a response to the allegations.
