Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Former IAS Officer Gets BJP Ticket for Nagaon Bypoll
Devashish Sharma used to be the top government official in Assam’s Nagaon district.
He left that job and took voluntary retirement.
He then joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The party chose him to run in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.
The election is scheduled for October 6.
The BJP says Sharma is a good and well-liked administrator who helps people.
The Congress is concerned because he handled election duties before becoming a candidate.
It asked election officials to examine the work he did while in that earlier role.
The Bharatiya Janata Party named former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Devashish Sharma as its candidate for the Lok Sabha bypoll.
Sharma resigned as Nagaon’s deputy commissioner on September 3 and took voluntary retirement, according to one report.
He joined the BJP on Thursday, one day before the party announced his candidacy.
The bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with one report describing it as taking place next month.
The Congress asked the Election Commission of India to review Sharma’s poll-related actions while he was district election officer.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Janata Party selected former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Devashish Sharma; the Congress and MP Rakibul Hussain raised concerns about his prior election duties.
- What
- Sharma was named the BJP candidate for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll after leaving government service and joining the party.
- When
- He resigned on September 3, joined the BJP on Thursday, and was named the candidate on Friday; the bypoll is scheduled for October 6.
- Where
- The contest is for Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, which includes Nagaon and neighbouring Morigaon.
- Why
- The BJP cited Sharma’s administrative record, social service, accessibility and popularity, while the Congress sought scrutiny of actions taken during his tenure as district election officer.
Congress Concerns
BJP Defense
Review of election-related actions
Congress Concerns
The Congress asked the Election Commission of India to review and scrutinise actions Sharma took while serving as deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer.
BJP Defense
The BJP selected Sharma and praised his record as a good, approachable and fair bureaucrat with experience in public service.
Suitability for the candidacy
Congress Concerns
Congress MP Rakibul Hussain highlighted that Sharma had overseen electronic voting machines, polling arrangements, staff deployment and implementation of election directives before becoming a candidate.
BJP Defense
BJP Assam spokesperson Rupam Goswami said Sharma’s social service, public accessibility and popularity across communities made him suitable for the party ticket.
- Candidate
- Devashish Sharma
- Party
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- Election
- Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll
- Polling date
- October 6
- Former position
- Deputy Commissioner of Nagaon and district election officer
- Civil-service background
- 2011-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre
- Recent changes
- Resigned on September 3, took voluntary retirement and joined the BJP on Thursday
