Nearly eight decades after India’s independence in 1947, residents of Garumarachor village in the Bodoland Territorial Region say they remain without grid electricity and have launched protests ahead of the upcoming elections, warning: “No Electricity, No Vote.” Villagers marched with placards and raised slogans demanding immediate power connectivity, saying political leaders should “provide electricity before the elections, then ask for our votes.”
Garumarachor, located along the Assam–West Bengal border in the No. 3 Council Constituency of Kokrajhar district, falls under the Gossaigaon Electrical Subdivision, but residents say the grid has never reached their homes. At a public meeting, men and women resolved collectively to boycott the polls if their long-standing demand for electrification is not met.
The village’s plight contrasts with official claims that every Indian village has been electrified. While government records indicate widespread rural electrification, Garumarachor’s residents describe a reality of neglect and unfulfilled promises in this remote settlement.
For most households, hurricane lanterns and kerosene lamps remain the only reliable sources of light. Students continue to study under dim oil lamps, and families say the lack of electricity hampers education, health, and livelihoods. A few relatively better-off households have installed small private solar units, but the majority remain entirely off-grid.
Protesters have put the spotlight on local and central authorities as polling day approaches, calling for urgent action from the concerned departments. Officials from the Gossaigaon subdivision and higher authorities were not quoted in the available report, and it remains unclear whether any immediate measures have been planned.
The villagers’ demand is simple and timebound: a firm promise of grid connection before voters are asked to cast their ballots. Whether that demand will be met in time, or whether Garumarachor’s residents will make good on their vow to boycott the election, remains to be seen.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/video/dark-since-1947-assam-village-challenges-governments-electrification-claims-warns-of-election-boycott-1351336-2026-02-25?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-25 11:04:00
