New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday deferred the polling date for Haryana assembly elections to October 5. Earlier, voting was scheduled to be held on October 1.
There has been no change in the polling date for the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections, set to be held on October 1. The election results for both J&K and Haryana will be declared on October 8.
In a notification, the poll panel said,”Subsequently, representations have been received from National Political Parties, State Political Party and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding mass movement of people of Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration.”
“It may deny voting rights to large number of people and may lead to reduce voters’ participation in general election to legislative assembly of Haryana,” the EC notification read.
On August 24, Haryana BJP’s state election management committee member
“Polls should be held according to the date fixed by the EC… People of Haryana don’t want to see the BJP government in power even for a day,” PTI quoted the veteran leader as saying. Varinder Garg had said,”We have reasoned that the Assembly election date of October 1 (Tuesday) is preceded by a weekend and followed by more holidays which might hit the voting percentage as people tend to go on vacation on long weekends.”
The opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party had slammed the move. Former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda had hit out at the BJP, saying that the party’s stand showed it already accepted defeat.
The AAP’s Haryana unit said even before the elections took place, the ruling BJP had started looking for excuses as it could sense its impending defeat in the election.
The BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term while the Congress is looking to wrest power from the ruling outfit.
