The Assam State Election Commission has officially announced the General Election schedule for Panchayats across 27 districts in the state, with the polls set to take place in two phases. The first phase will be held on May 2, covering Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribumi districts. The second phase will be held on May 7, covering Dhubri, South Salmara Mankachar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon, and Darrang districts.
According to Election Commission officials, the notification for elections will be issued on April 3, following which nominations can be filed until April 11. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on April 12, with the final list of valid candidates published on the same day. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until April 17, and the final list of contestants will be released soon after.
Polling will be held from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM on both scheduled dates, with re-polling, if necessary, on May 4 (Phase 1) and May 9 (Phase 2). The total electorate for the 2025 elections stands at 1,80,36,682, marking a 13.27% increase from 2018. Of these, 90,71,264 are male voters, 89,65,010 are female voters, and 408 are others.
To accommodate the increased voter base, 25,007 polling stations will be set up across the state, reflecting a 6% rise from the 23,505 polling stations in 2018. The Election Commission will continue voter roll updates for new electors as per the eligibility cut-off date of January 1, 2025.
Voters must produce one of the following identification documents at the polling booth: Electronic Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Aadhaar Card, MNREGA Job Card, Bank/Post Office Passbook with Photo, Health Insurance Smart Card, Driving License, PAN Card, Indian Passport, Smart Card issued by RGI under National Population Register, Pension Documents with Photograph, Government/PSU Service ID Cards, or Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been enforced across all areas where the elections will be held, and election manifestos must align with constitutional principles and MCC provisions. Candidates must fulfill strict eligibility criteria, including a minimum age of 21 years, mandatory functional sanitary toilet at residence, no violation of the Child Marriage Act, 2006 (self/spouse), maximum of two living children (exceptions for births before March 19, 2018), affidavit declaration of criminal records, assets, and liabilities, and educational qualifications ranging from HSLC (Class 10) to HSSLC (Class 12) depending on the position.
According to Chief Election Commissioner Alok Kumar, the Assam Panchayat Elections 2025 are anticipated to witness a higher voter turnout due to the expanded voter base and additional polling stations. The elections are expected to play a crucial role in shaping local governance and rural development in the state.
