Sonowal Kachari council polls have gained fresh political attention after the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) formed a 50-member state-level coordination committee to oversee the party’s preparations for the upcoming elections.
The committee was constituted on September 1 with the approval of Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi. The move signals a sharper organisational push by the opposition party as political preparations gather pace ahead of the council elections.
Congress prepares for Sonowal Kachari council polls
The newly formed panel will coordinate the Congress campaign and help shape its electoral strategy for the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council. According to the APCC, the committee will focus on organisational preparedness, coordination among party workers and election-related planning.
Sailen Sonowal has been appointed Adviser to the committee, while Polly Hazarika will serve as its Chairman. Pratim Sonowal has been named Coordinator. Pranjal Saikia and Shiba Baruah will work as Joint Coordinators.
The remaining 45 members take the committee’s total strength to 50. Representatives from several districts have been included, giving the panel a broad organisational base across areas linked to the council.
Seven districts in focus
The committee includes representatives from Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar and Lakhimpur. These districts are among the areas connected with the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council.
The council has statutory responsibilities across several areas, including agriculture, education, rural roads, fisheries, social welfare, handloom and textiles, and cultural affairs. This makes the council elections significant for local governance and development in the areas under its jurisdiction.
Moreover, the council’s electoral structure has undergone changes in recent years. An amendment to the council law provided for 32 elected constituencies and four nominated members in the General Council, increasing the overall strength to 36.
Election preparations move ahead
Administrative preparations for the Sonowal Kachari council polls have also progressed during 2026. The State Election Commission initiated the process of preparing and revising electoral rolls, with January 1, 2026, fixed as the qualifying date for voter eligibility.
The exercise was based on the existing council electoral roll and the latest Assembly electoral roll. Authorities also directed officials to consider the notified Sonowal portions of villages while preparing the updated voter lists.
The Dibrugarh district administration has also listed the electoral roll and delimitation work among its recent election-related notices. The district website lists 692 villages across 32 constituencies for the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council delimitation exercise.
Electoral roll process faced disruption
The election preparation process was affected temporarily by severe flooding in Upper Assam. In July, the Assam State Election Commission suspended the preparation and publication of electoral rolls for the Sonowal Kachari and Mising autonomous council elections because floods disrupted administrative and election-related work in several districts.
The commission said a revised schedule for the electoral roll exercise would be issued separately after conditions improved.
Sonowal Kachari council polls draw local attention
The upcoming Sonowal Kachari council polls have also seen local concerns over electoral rolls. In July, residents of five villages in Dibrugarh district’s Tingkhong area alleged that names from around 60 to 70 families were missing from the voter list.
The allegations involved Dirai Alikinar, Dikcham Block, No. 2 Barbil, Longboi and Powali Baghmara. The reported concerns underline the importance of accurate electoral rolls as preparations continue.
Meanwhile, the latest Congress decision places organisational coordination at the centre of its election strategy. The party has said the new panel will work to strengthen its network and formulate strategies aimed at winning the council elections.
Congress steps up its election strategy
The formation of the 50-member committee gives the Assam Congress a dedicated organisational structure for the upcoming Sonowal Kachari council polls. Its district representation is also intended to improve coordination between state-level leaders and workers on the ground.
However, the exact polling date has not been specified in the latest reports on the Congress committee. With electoral preparations continuing, political parties are expected to intensify their organisational activities in the areas covered by the council.
For the Congress, the immediate focus will now be on coordination, voter outreach and campaign planning. The newly constituted committee is set to play a central role as the party prepares for the next stage of the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council election process.
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