The Election Commission on Saturday deferred the Haryana assembly poll date to October 5 from October 1. Owing to the rescheduling of the Haryana elections, the date of counting of votes for both the poll-bound states, Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana, has also been postponed to October 8 in place of October 4.
Assembly elections: Why are the dates changed?
The decision has been taken by the apex poll body keeping in mind the centuries-old Asoj Amavasya festival of Bishnoi community in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar.
This year, the festival falls on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Hisar will be traveling to Rajasthan on the day, denying them their voting rights.
It has been reported that EC received a representation from the national president of All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner, Rajasthan for rescheduling the date for the Haryana assembly elections.
"Representations have been received from National Political Parties, State Political Parties, and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding the mass movement of people of the Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries-old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration", the poll panel said in an official statement.
Assembly elections: The dates announced earlier
On August 16, the Election Commission announced that voting for the Haryana assembly election 2024 would take place in a single phase on October 1, while the counting of votes was scheduled to take place on October 4, coinciding with that of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.
For the much-awaited assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the apex poll body opted for a three-phase election model. The officially announced polling dates are- September 18, September 25, and October 1.
Poll dates changed: BJP, AAP react
Thanking the apex poll body for their decision, BJP leader Anil Vij said, "We are thankful to the ECI for this. Our party had written a letter to the ECI that the voter turnout might get affected due to the festival (of the Bishnoi community). We are happy that the ECI has accepted our decision."
In a direct verbal attack on BJP, Aam Admi Party's (AAP) Manish Sisodia said, "Following the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections, BJP's countdown has begun. They can change the polling dates using the ECI, but they will surely lose Assembly polls in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi," says AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Election Commission deferring Haryana Assembly poll date to October 5.
