There will be no change in the dates of Haryana Assembly elections. Sources have given this information quoting the Election Commission. Now as per the pre-determined schedule, voting will take place on October 1 and counting of votes will take place on October 4. However, nothing has been said officially by the Commission. Meanwhile, the state’s Chief Election Officer Pankaj Aggarwal has instructed the officials to make preparations for the elections as per the pre-determined election schedule.
Indian National Lok Dal and the state’s ruling BJP had written a letter to the Election Commission to change the date of the election. Both the parties had requested the Commission to extend the date of voting citing holidays. Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)’s Principal General Secretary Abhay Singh Chautala had written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner on Saturday demanding extension of the date of voting on October 1. He had written to the Election Commissioner, drawing his attention that there are two gazetted holidays before the polling day, i.e. 28 September is Saturday and 29 September is Sunday. There is also a polling holiday on 1 October and after that there will be two gazetted holidays. i.e. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti is on 2 October and Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti is on 3 October.
He further wrote that since people usually go on holidays on long weekends, it will definitely affect the voting. The voting percentage will be adversely affected and the voting percentage is likely to decrease by 15 to 20 percent. Apart from this, the training of election staff as well as the preparation for the election will also be adversely affected.
Preparation for Haryana victory- BJP meeting in Delhi, discussion on names of candidates
Congress had targeted BJP on this issue and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) attempt to postpone the election on October 1 in Haryana clearly shows that their party’s support base in the state has ended and they are losing the election, so the date of assembly elections is being requested to be extended. Congress had written a letter to the commission requesting not to extend the date of voting.
Congress alleges that BJP is scared and hence is trying to postpone the elections by using the excuse of holiday. Senior party leader Kumari Selja had said, “Holiday is certain, hence they are using the excuse of holiday.” Let us tell you that the election process for 90 assembly seats of Haryana is starting from September 5. (With agency inputs)
