Haryana, India

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday (Aug 31) postponed the assembly poll date for the northern state of Haryana to October 5. Earlier, the polls were scheduled to be held on October 1. The date for election results has also been changed to October 8, from October 4.

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India’s Jammu-Kashmir and Haryana will go to polls in September and October. The polls in the Union Territory of J&K will be held in three phases: September 18, September 25 and October 1.

Notably, the poll dates for J&K have not been changed by the ECI.

The ECI in a notification cited the reasons why the decision to postpone polls was taken.

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"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," the top poll body said.

“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,” it added.

Also read: Big setback for BJP as three independent MLAs withdraw support; Haryana govt under threat

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Earlier, the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also urged ECI to change polling dates.

"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," said Haryana BJP's state election management committee member Varinder Garg.

Also read: India: Man dies on stage in Haryana’s Bhiwani while playing Hanuman in Ramleela

Top opposition parties Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had slammed the BJP for making this request and termed it a sign of defeat.

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda had said that the BJP had already accepted defeat and was now asking the ECI to defer polls. The parties had also urged the ECI to not give in to BJP’s demands.

(With inputs from agencies)