GUWAHATI: The elections to the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) will be held on September 22, the Assam State Election Commission announced on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the Commission, the last date for filing nominations is September 2, scrutiny of nominations is September 4, the last date for withdrawal of nominations is September 6, the date of counting is September 26, while completion of the election process will be before September 28.
The BTC has 40 constituencies, 30 of them reserved for Scheduled Tribes, five for non-Scheduled Tribes and the remaining five come under the open category.
According to the Commission, there are altogether 26,57,937 voters – 13,23,399 males, 13,34,521 females and 17 others. Polling will be held across 3,359 polling stations.
"The Commission, however, has decided to continue the process of adding new electors till the last date of filing of nominations, as per rules, subject to the ongoing summary revision exercise of the Election Commission of India," the statement said.
The BTC, which administers five districts - Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri, and Tamulpur - is currently ruled by the coalition of United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and the BJP. The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) is the third major force.
The BJP has decided to contest the polls independently, as it did in 2020 when it did not have any pre-poll alliance with any party. This decision left the UPPL with no option but to contest on its own strength. Similarly, the BPF will go solo. A triangular contest is expected.
Peace has been the greatest dividend of the BTR peace agreement signed in 2020, and holding on to it will be the biggest challenge for any political party or formation that comes to power.
The Centre had signed the BTR peace accord with some insurgent groups and All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU). Pramod Boro, the then ABSU president and now the Chief Executive Member of the BTC, was an architect of this pact.
Peace remains unpredictable in the BTR, as evidenced by violence and unrest in the past despite the signing of peace agreements. The BTR accord, however, has stood the test of time. Over the past five years, there has not been a single major incident of violence in the BTR.