CDFI Urges ECI Intervention Over Alleged Targeting of 1,292 Chakma Voters in Arunachal Pradesh

The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) today urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to intervene against the systematic targeting of at least 1,292 Chakma electors in four Assembly Constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh, including 413 voters in Bordumsa-Diyum, 49 voters in Miao, 774 voters in Doimukh and 56 voters in Chowkham constituencies, during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
It also sought deployment of ECI observers and central security forces during the hearings from September 2 at Diyun and Bordumsa.
“One individual filed objections against up to 30 Chakma electors for not being Indian citizens despite not being aware of these electors and this exposes the pattern. This is despite the fact that Chakmas being citizens by birth was resolved through the judgment of the Delhi High Court in People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) v. Election Commission of India & Others on 28 September 2000, ECI Order No. 23/ARUN/2003 dated 3 March 2004, the Gauhati High Court judgment dated 19 March 2013 in PIL No. 52 of 2010 and judgment of the Supreme Court of India dated 17 September 2015 in Committee for C.R. of Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh v. State of Arunachal Pradesh. The Chakmas had been voting for the last 26 years!” stated Suhas Chakma, Founder of the CDFI.
The CDFI highlighted the acceptance of objections against 41 Chakma voters in 41-Moitripur under 49-Bordumsa-Diyum Assembly Constituency as being not Indian citizens on 22 August 2026, i.e. after the expiry of the prescribed deadline of 20 August 2026. This is a blatant violation of the rule of law.
The Election Commission of India, vide Order No. 23/ARUN/2003 dated March 3, 2004, had described non-inclusion of the Chakmas voters as an issue of racial discrimination and it stated, “Under Article 325 of the Constitution, it is laid down that no person shall be ineligible for inclusion in or claim to be included in any electoral roll for any constituency on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or any of them. It is evident that the names of the aforesaid eligible Chakmas in the State of Arunachal Pradesh have not been included in the electoral rolls mainly for the reason that they belong to the Chakma tribe/race, which is violative of the Constitutional mandate of Article 325.”
The CDFI expressed its fears about violence against the Chakmas during the hearings, as the objections were filed after the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) constituted a Committee on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls in Arunachal Pradesh to remove non-citizen entries from the electoral rolls on July 14, 2026.
“The Supreme Court in its judgment in National Human Rights Commission vs State Of Arunachal Pradesh & Anr on 9 January 1996 [1996 SCC (1) 742] had directed the deployment of the central security forces to ensure that the life and personal liberty of each and every Chakma residing within the State are protected. The ECI was therefore requested to direct the Chief Electoral Officer, Arunachal Pradesh and the concerned Electoral Registration Officer to disallow the objections filed against the 25 Chakma electors in Part 41-Moitripur under 49-Bordumsa-Diyum after the expiry of the prescribed deadline of 20 August 2026; depute independent observers from the ECI to monitor the hearing and disposal of claims and objections; direct the Chief Electoral Officer, Arunachal Pradesh to ensure that every objection is considered individually and strictly in accordance with law and that no elector is excluded merely because of his or her Chakma identity and further that no external organisation or individual is permitted to interfere with or influence the statutory process of verification and disposal of objections; and direct the Union of India and the State of Arunachal Pradesh to deploy central security forces during the hearings to ensure that Chakmas and Hajongs are not subjected to intimidation, coercion or undue influence,” added Chakma.