Guwahati buzzed with political anticipation on Tuesday as Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar led a crucial all-party meeting ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. Joined by Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, Kumar gathered representatives from recognized national and regional parties to gauge their insights on election preparations.
The session, attended by Assam’s Chief Electoral Officer and senior ECI officials, marks the commission’s proactive steps to ensure free, fair, and peaceful polls. Parties like AAP, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AIUDF, AGP, BPF, and UPPL voiced their expectations, emphasizing smooth administrative support and high voter turnout.
A dominant demand echoed through the room: conduct the elections in a single phase or at most two, citing logistical ease. Cultural sensitivities surfaced too, with pleas to align schedules around the vibrant Bihu festival, a cornerstone of Assamese identity.
Delegates praised the ECI’s special voter list revision, hailing it as a bolster to electoral integrity. Concerns over polling arrangements, law and order, security deployments, and transparency measures were candidly shared, met with the commission’s firm assurance of thorough review.
Reaffirming its constitutional mandate, the ECI committed to enforcing the Model Code of Conduct rigorously for inclusive, violence-free elections. As Assam gears up for 2026, the poll schedule announcement looms in the coming weeks, setting the stage for a democratic spectacle.