COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Clarify stand on electoral roll issue in 48 hrs, state told

The All Assam Student Union today set a 48-hour deadline to the Assam government to clarify its stand on the electoral rolls issue following fresh guidelines of the Election Commission, paving the way for inclusion of foreigners's descendants in the rolls.

AASU president Sarbananda Sonowal and general secretary Samujjal Bhattacharrya threatened a widespread agitation beginning with an Assam general strike on December 9 to protest against the action of both the EC and the state government if it failed to respond within 48 hours.

Significantly, the final electoral rolls, basing on the latest EC guidelines, will be published throughout the state on December 9. The AASU said it had lost faith in the judiciary and would take the issue back to the people if the state government did not initiate action within the period.

Both AASU leaders castigated the Assam government led by Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, saying the electoral rolls revision issue should be its responsibility.

Rejecting outright both the EC guidelines as well as the new electoral rolls, the AASU leadership alleged that all the foreigners's names were included in the latest electoral rolls.

AASU has also convened a state-level convention in Guwahati at the month-end to chalk out the next course of action.

Tell us what you think of this report