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BJP, INLD urge Election Commission to postpone Haryana Assembly polls due to holiday concerns
As per the EC schedule, the gazette notification for the election to the 90-member Assembly in Haryana would be issued on September 5 for the polling scheduled on October 1
The logo of the Election Commission of India at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Almost a week after the announcement of schedule for Assembly election in Haryana, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Lok Dal have written to the Election Commission (EC) of India to defer the polling by almost a week apprehending low turnout in view of a host of holidays around the polling date.
The Congress and the Jannayak Janta Party, however, have demanded that the election be held as per the schedule saying that the BJP had already accepted its defeat by seeking postponement of the polls.
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As per the EC schedule, the gazette notification for the election to the 90-member Assembly in Haryana would be issued on September 5. The polling will be held on October 1 and the counting of votes on October 4.
BJP’s demand
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal told The Hindu over phone that BJP State president Mohan Lal Badoli in a letter to the EC, received at his office on Saturday (August 23), had demanded the postponement of the polling scheduled for October 1 saying that two days prior to the polling (September 28-29) and a day after were holidays and several families in the State could go out for vacation by taking a leave on September 30.
“Mr. Badoli also pointed out that a majority of the Bishnoi families in Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad districts were also expected to travel to Bikaner on the polling day to take part in an annual fair on October 2 and this could adversely impact the voter turnout,” said the official.
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In his letter, the BJP leader said the poll body had earlier postponed the Punjab Assembly election in 2022 by six days to February 20 in view of Ravidas Jayanti.
Mr. Agarwal said the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) had also made a similar request.
Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Singh Chautala too demanded that the polling be postponed by almost a week saying that “there is a likelihood of 15-20% shortfall in voting percentage”. He said the training of the election staff and the preparation for the polling too would be adversely impacted due to the holidays.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, however, said the election should be held as per the schedule. He said the electorate would not waste their votes and turn up in large numbers to exercise their franchise despite the holidays. Mr. Hooda said the BJP had already accepted its defeat by seeking the postponement of the election.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala said the BJP was scared of losing the election because its support base had eroded. He said the EC was not expected to consider the BJP’s demand after already having announced the poll schedule.
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Haryana Assembly Elections 2024
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