New Delhi: In response to requests from the BJP, INLD, and the All-India Bishnoi Mahasabha, the Election Commission (EC) has postponed the Haryana Assembly elections from October 1 to October 5.
The schedule for counting votes in both Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir has also been revised, moving from October 4 to October 8. The original election dates were announced by the EC on August 16.
Haryana BJP President Mohan Lal Badoli requested the postponement, citing concerns that a series of holidays around October 2, including Gandhi Jayanti, could result in a lower voter turnout as residents might travel out of the state, Indian Express reported.
The EC stated that it received representations from national and state parties, as well as the Bishnoi community, highlighting that many Bishnoi voters would be participating in the centuries-old Asoj Amavasya festival in Rajasthan, potentially reducing voter participation in Haryana.
The EC decided to shift the polling date in Haryana to October 5, 2024, while the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir remains unchanged on October 1. The decision was influenced by the expected travel of Bishnoi community members from districts like Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Hisar to attend the festival in Bikaner.
The EC had initially scheduled the elections after considering the state’s gazetted and restricted holidays. However, after receiving the representations, the EC sought a report from the state chief electoral officer, who consulted with the deputy commissioners of the three affected districts before recommending the change, the report said.
