1.5 lakh bighas reclaimed in evictions, 12,000 voter names deleted: Assam CM

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state has reclaimed nearly 1.5 lakh bighas of land through eviction drives conducted across various districts.

Referring to the recent operation in Uriamghat, Sarma said the exercise resulted in the deletion of around 12,000 names from electoral rolls after verification found the individuals to be ineligible. He said the verification process was undertaken following the eviction drive.

The Chief Minister said eviction operations are currently continuing in Tezpur, underlining that the campaign to clear encroached government land remains ongoing.

Sarma also pointed to the political implications of the exercise, stating that the removal of these names could have materially influenced the electoral outcome in the Sarupathar Assembly constituency.

The state government has asserted that the eviction drives are intended to recover government land, prevent illegal settlements and strengthen resident verification mechanisms. The campaign, however, has drawn criticism from opposition parties and rights groups, who have raised concerns over its impact.