Hundreds of members of the Sonowal Kachari community staged a sit-in demonstration at Chowkidinghee in Dibrugarh on Saturday, demanding immediate elections for the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC), which has been operating without a democratic mandate for last 23 months.
The protest, jointly organised by the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union, Sonowal Kachari Yuba Parishad, and the Sonowal Kachari Samaj, saw demonstrators shouting slogans against the Assam government for the prolonged delay in conducting elections for the autonomous body.
The SKAC’s five-year term officially ended in February 2024, and authorities granted a one-year extension until February 2025. However, with the extended deadline approaching and no concrete steps taken toward organising elections, community leaders expressed mounting frustration over the administrative vacuum plaguing their autonomous council.
“Our primary demands include the immediate scheduling of elections and the release of an updated, accurate voter registry for all SKAC territories. By failing to act, the government is eroding the foundations of our democracy. This council is not just an administrative body, it is the embodiment of our identity and our constitutional right to govern ourselves,” said Budhin Sonowal, general secretary of the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union.
The Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council was established in 2005 to safeguard the social, economic, educational, and cultural rights of the Sonowal Kachari tribe, primarily concentrated in upper Assam districts including Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, and Golaghat. The council plays a crucial role in implementing welfare schemes and preserving the community’s ethnic identity.Protesters argued that the delay has created an administrative vacuum, stalling development projects and critical decision-making processes that affect the community’s welfare.
“The absence of a duly elected council is actively hindering our community’s advancement. This administrative negligence is directly affecting the well-being and future prospects of our women, students, and youth,” said Milan Sonowal, president of the Sonowal Kachari Yuba Parishad.
The demonstrators demanded not only the immediate announcement of election dates but also transparency in the electoral process, including the publication of accurate voter lists that reflect the current demographic reality of SKAC constituencies.
Community leaders said that the autonomous council is essential for preserving their ethnic identity and ensuring proper implementation of welfare schemes designed specifically for the Sonowal Kachari tribe. They stated that the prolonged absence of an elected body has raised concerns about the effective delivery of development programs and the representation of community interests.
