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**Report: Analysis of Election Commission of India Notification Regarding Appellate Officers in Assam**
**1. Executive Summary:**
This report analyzes a notification issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 4, 2025, concerning the designation of Appellate Officers for specific districts within the State of Assam. The notification, issued under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, supersedes a previous notification (No. 429AS2023A dated September 29, 2023) and designates District Commissioners as Appellate Officers for specified Assembly Constituencies. The key finding is the establishment of a revised appeals process for decisions made by Electoral Registration Officers related to voter registration within Assam.
**2. Introduction:**
This report provides an overview and analysis of the Election Commission of India's notification regarding Appellate Officers in Assam, as published in The Gazette of India: Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Subsection iii, dated June 13, 2025. The analysis focuses on the purpose, key provisions, and potential impact of this notification, based solely on the information presented in the provided text.
**3. Policy Overview:**
* This notification is an **amendment** as it explicitly states that it is "in supersession of Notification No. 429AS2023A dated 29th September, 2023."
* **Core Objective:** To designate specific officers (District Commissioners) as Appellate Officers to hear appeals related to decisions of Electoral Registration Officers in Assam, under Sections 22 and 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. This aims to provide a clear avenue for citizens to address grievances related to voter registration.
**4. Background and Rationale:**
The notification amends a previous one, suggesting a need for either a refinement or update to the previous appellate officer designations. Possible reasons (inferred from the fact that it is being amended):
* **Changes in District Administration:** Changes in postings or responsibilities of officers may necessitate the redesignation of Appellate Officers.
* **Constituency Revisions:** Boundary changes or creation of new constituencies may require the designation of new Appellate Officers for those areas.
* **Process Optimization:** The ECI might be aiming to improve the efficiency or accessibility of the appeals process based on feedback or operational experience with the previous notification.
* **Administrative error:** There may have been an error in the initial list.
**5. Key Provisions / Changes:**
* **Specific Change:** The notification supersedes the previous notification (No. 429AS2023A dated September 29, 2023) regarding Appellate Officers. This means that the previous list of officers and their jurisdictions is no longer valid, and the new table provided in this notification takes precedence.
* **New Rule/Provision:** The District Commissioners of each specified district in Assam are designated as the Appellate Officers for the Assembly Constituencies listed against their respective districts in the table. For example, the District Commissioner of Kokrajhar is now the Appellate Officer for 1GOSSAIGAON, 2DOTMA ST, 3KOKRAJHAR ST, 4BAOKHUNGRI, and 5PARBATJHORA Assembly Constituencies.
* **Effect of Change:** Citizens who wish to appeal decisions made by Electoral Registration Officers in the designated Assembly Constituencies must now direct their appeals to the District Commissioner of the respective district, as per the newly specified jurisdictions.
**6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:**
The primary target audience is:
* **Citizens of Assam:** Specifically, those residing in the Assembly Constituencies listed in the table who may need to appeal decisions related to voter registration (inclusion or objection to inclusion of names in the voter list).
* **Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) of Assam:** EROs need to know who the designated appellate officer is for the constituencies they oversee.
* **District Commissioners of Assam:** The designated Appellate Officers who are now responsible for hearing appeals.
**7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):**
* **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Election Commission of India is the responsible body for issuing the notification and overseeing the implementation of the appeals process. The District Commissioners are responsible for hearing the appeals.
* **Procedures:** The procedures for filing appeals are governed by Sections 22 and 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The notification does not detail these procedures, but citizens would need to follow the guidelines established in the Act.
**8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:**
The intended outcome of these changes is to:
* Provide a clear and accessible appeals process for citizens of Assam related to voter registration.
* Ensure that appeals are heard by the appropriate authority (the District Commissioner).
* Potentially improve the efficiency and fairness of the electoral process in Assam.
The impact of the amendment is primarily administrative, clarifying the chain of command for election-related appeals.
**9. Conclusion:**
The Election Commission of India's notification regarding Appellate Officers in Assam clarifies and updates the process for appealing decisions related to voter registration. By designating District Commissioners as Appellate Officers for specified Assembly Constituencies, the notification aims to ensure a fair and accessible appeals mechanism, contributing to the integrity of the electoral process in Assam. This amendment supersedes the previous notification, making it crucial for relevant stakeholders to be aware of the updated designations.
Key Entities Referenced
41 MANAS: Area of Jurisdiction
INDIA: Country where the gazette is published.
NEW DELHI: City of publication.
JUNE 13, 2025: Date of publication of the gazette.
JYAISTHA 23, 1947: Date of publication according to the Saka calendar.
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA: Title of the publication.
PART IISEC. 3iii: Section of the gazette.
ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA: The issuing authority of the notification.
New Delhi, the 4th June, 2025: Date and location of the notification.
Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950: Legal basis for the notification.
Notification No. 429AS2023A dated 29th September, 2023: Superseded notification.
State of Assam: State to which the notification applies.
Appellate Officer: Officer designated to hear appeals.
Electoral Registration Officers: Officers whose decisions are subject to appeal.
Assembly Constituencies: Areas of jurisdiction for Electoral Registration Officers.
Section 22 and 23 of the Representation of People Act, 1950: Sections of the Act pertaining to appeals.
Kokrajhar: Name of District
District Commissioner, Kokrajhar: Designation of Appellate Officer for Kokrajhar
1GOSSAIGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
2DOTMA ST: Area of Jurisdiction
3KOKRAJHAR ST: Area of Jurisdiction
4BAOKHUNGRI: Area of Jurisdiction
5PARBATJHORA: Area of Jurisdiction
Dhubri: Name of District
District Commissioner, Dhubri: Designation of Appellate Officer for Dhubri
6 GOLAKGANJ: Area of Jurisdiction
7GAURIPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
8DHUBRI: Area of Jurisdiction
9 BIRSINGJARUA: Area of Jurisdiction
10 BILASIPARA: Area of Jurisdiction
South Salmara: Name of District
District Commissioner, South Salmara: Designation of Appellate Officer for South Salmara
11MANKACHAR: Area of Jurisdiction
Goalpara: Name of District
District Commissioner, Goalpara: Designation of Appellate Officer for Goalpara
12JALESWAR: Area of Jurisdiction
13GOALPARA WEST ST: Area of Jurisdiction
14GOALPARA EAST: Area of Jurisdiction
15DUDHNAI ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Bongaigaon: Name of District
District Commissioner, Bongaigaon: Designation of Appellate Officer for Bongaigaon
16 ABHAYAPURI: Area of Jurisdiction
17SRIJANGRAM: Area of Jurisdiction
18BONGAIGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
Chirang: Name of District
District Commissioner, Chirang: Designation of Appellate Officer for Chirang
19SIDLI CHIRANG ST: Area of Jurisdiction
20BIJNI: Area of Jurisdiction
Barpeta: Name of District
District Commissioner, Barpeta: Designation of Appellate Officer for Barpeta
22 MANDIA: Area of Jurisdiction
23CHENGA: Area of Jurisdiction
24BARPETA SC: Area of Jurisdiction
25PAKABETBARI: Area of Jurisdiction
Bajali: Name of District
District Commissioner, Bajali: Designation of Appellate Officer for Bajali
21BHOWANIPURSORBHOG: Area of Jurisdiction
26 BAJALI: Area of Jurisdiction
Kamrup: Name of District
District Commissioner, Kamrup: Designation of Appellate Officer for Kamrup
27CHAMARIA: Area of Jurisdiction
28BOKOCHAYGAON ST: Area of Jurisdiction
29PALASBARI: Area of Jurisdiction
30HAJOSUALKUCHI SC: Area of Jurisdiction
31RANGIA: Area of Jurisdiction
32KAMALPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
Kamrup Metro: Name of District
District Commissioner, Kamrup Metro: Designation of Appellate Officer for Kamrup Metro
33 DISPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
34DIMORIA SC: Area of Jurisdiction
35NEW GUWAHATI: Area of Jurisdiction
36GUWAHATI CENTRAL: Area of Jurisdiction
37JALUKBARI: Area of Jurisdiction
Nalbari: Name of District
District Commissioner, Nalbari: Designation of Appellate Officer for Nalbari
38BARKHETRI: Area of Jurisdiction
39NALBARI: Area of Jurisdiction
40TIHU: Area of Jurisdiction
Baksa: Name of District
District Commissioner, Baksa: Designation of Appellate Officer for Baksa
42BAKSA ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Tamulpur: Name of District
District Commissioner, Tamulpur: Designation of Appellate Officer for Tamulpur
43 TAMULPUR ST: Area of Jurisdiction
44GORESWAR: Area of Jurisdiction
Udalguri: Name of District
District Commissioner, Udalguri: Designation of Appellate Officer for Udalguri
45BHERGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
46 UDALGURI ST: Area of Jurisdiction
47MAZBAT: Area of Jurisdiction
48 TANGLA: Area of Jurisdiction
Darrang: Name of District
District Commissioner, Darrang: Designation of Appellate Officer for Darrang
49 SIPAJHAR: Area of Jurisdiction
50 MANGALDAI: Area of Jurisdiction
51DALGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
Morigaon: Name of District
District Commissioner, Morigaon: Designation of Appellate Officer for Morigaon
52JAGIROAD SC: Area of Jurisdiction
53LAHARIGHAT: Area of Jurisdiction
54MORIGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
Nagaon: Name of District
District Commissioner, Nagaon: Designation of Appellate Officer for Nagaon
55DHING: Area of Jurisdiction
56RUPAHIHAT: Area of Jurisdiction
57KALIABOR: Area of Jurisdiction
58SAMAGURI: Area of Jurisdiction
59BARHAMPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
60NAGAONBATADRABA: Area of Jurisdiction
61RAHA SC: Area of Jurisdiction
Hojai: Name of District
District Commissioner, Hojai: Designation of Appellate Officer for Hojai
62 BINNAKANDI: Area of Jurisdiction
63 HOJAI: Area of Jurisdiction
64 LUMDING: Area of Jurisdiction
Sonitpur: Name of District
District Commissioner, Sonitpur: Designation of Appellate Officer for Sonitpur
65DHEKIAJULI: Area of Jurisdiction
66 BARCHALLA: Area of Jurisdiction
67 TEZPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
68RANGAPARA: Area of Jurisdiction
69 NADUAR: Area of Jurisdiction
Biswanath: Name of District
District Commissioner, Biswanath: Designation of Appellate Officer for Biswanath
70 BISWANATH: Area of Jurisdiction
71 BEHALI SC: Area of Jurisdiction
72 GOHPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
Lakhimpur: Name of District
District Commissioner, Lakhimpur: Designation of Appellate Officer for Lakhimpur
73BIHPURIA: Area of Jurisdiction
74RONGONADI: Area of Jurisdiction
75NOWBOICHA SC: Area of Jurisdiction
76LAKHIMPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
77DHAKUAKHANA ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Dhemaji: Name of District
District Commissioner, Dhemaji: Designation of Appellate Officer for Dhemaji
78DHEMAJI ST: Area of Jurisdiction
79 SISSIBARGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
80 JONAI ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Tinsukia: Name of District
District Commissioner, Tinsukia: Designation of Appellate Officer for Tinsukia
81 SADIYA: Area of Jurisdiction
82DOOMDOOMA: Area of Jurisdiction
83MARGHERITA: Area of Jurisdiction
84DIGBOI: Area of Jurisdiction
85 MAKUM: Area of Jurisdiction
86TINSUKIA: Area of Jurisdiction
Dibrugarh: Name of District
District Commissioner, Dibrugarh: Designation of Appellate Officer for Dibrugarh
87CHABUALAHOWAL: Area of Jurisdiction
88DIBRUGARH: Area of Jurisdiction
89 KHOWANG: Area of Jurisdiction
90DULIAJAN: Area of Jurisdiction
91TINGKHONG: Area of Jurisdiction
92 NAHARKATIA: Area of Jurisdiction
Charaideo: Name of District
District Commissioner, Charaideo: Designation of Appellate Officer for Charaideo
93SONARI: Area of Jurisdiction
94MAHMORA: Area of Jurisdiction
Sibsagar: Name of District
District Commissioner, Sibsagar: Designation of Appellate Officer for Sibsagar
95DEMOW: Area of Jurisdiction
96SIBSAGAR: Area of Jurisdiction
97NAZIRA: Area of Jurisdiction
Majuli: Name of District
District Commissioner, Majuli: Designation of Appellate Officer for Majuli
98 MAJULI ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Jorhat: Name of District
District Commissioner, Jorhat: Designation of Appellate Officer for Jorhat
99 TEOK: Area of Jurisdiction
100 JORHAT: Area of Jurisdiction
101 MARIANI: Area of Jurisdiction
102 TITABOR: Area of Jurisdiction
Golaghat: Name of District
District Commissioner, Golaghat: Designation of Appellate Officer for Golaghat
103 GOLAGHAT: Area of Jurisdiction
104 DERGAON: Area of Jurisdiction
105 BOKAKHAT: Area of Jurisdiction
106 KHUMTAI: Area of Jurisdiction
107 SARUPATHAR: Area of Jurisdiction
Karbi Anglong: Name of District
District Commissioner, Karbi Anglong: Designation of Appellate Officer for Karbi Anglong
108BOKAJAN ST: Area of Jurisdiction
109HOWRAGHAT ST: Area of Jurisdiction
110DIPHU ST: Area of Jurisdiction
West Karbi Anglong: Name of District
District Commissioner, West Karbi: Designation of Appellate Officer for West Karbi Anglong
111RONGKHANG ST: Area of Jurisdiction
112 AMRI ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Dima Hasao: Name of District
District Commissioner, Dima Hasao: Designation of Appellate Officer for Dima Hasao
113HAFLONG ST: Area of Jurisdiction
Cachar: Name of District
District Commissioner, Cachar: Designation of Appellate Officer for Cachar
114 LAKHIPUR: Area of Jurisdiction
115UDHARBOND: Area of Jurisdiction
116KATIGORAH: Area of Jurisdiction
117BARKHOLA: Area of Jurisdiction
118SILCHAR: Area of Jurisdiction
119SONAI: Area of Jurisdiction
120DHOLAI SC: Area of Jurisdiction
Hailakandi: Name of District
District Commissioner, Hailakandi: Designation of Appellate Officer for Hailakandi
121 HAILAKANDI: Area of Jurisdiction
122 ALGAPURKATLICHERRA: Area of Jurisdiction
Sribhumi: Name of District
District Commissioner, Sribhumi: Designation of Appellate Officer for Sribhumi
123KARIMGANJ NORTH: Area of Jurisdiction
124KARIMGANJ SOUTH: Area of Jurisdiction
125PATHARKANDI: Area of Jurisdiction
126RAM KRISHANA NAGAR SC: Area of Jurisdiction
F. No. 508AS2025A: File number of the notification.
MALAY MALLICK: Name of the Principal Secretary.
Principal Secy.: Designation of Malay Mallick.
Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi110064: Location of the printing press.
Controller of Publications, Delhi110054: Publisher of the gazette.