Haryana Assembly Election Date May Change

Election Commission of India (ECI) may reconsider the date for the Haryana Assembly elections. This comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrote to the Commission requesting a change in the polling date. 

The current election date is set for October 1, but the BJP has asked for it to be pushed back by 4-5 days. Mohan Lal Badoli, a BJP leader, explained the reason for this request: "There's a long weekend from September 28 to October 3, with only September 30 being a working day. Many people might leave the state during this time, which could affect voter turnout."

The ECI has called an important meeting to discuss this matter. Sources suggest that the Commission is open to the idea of changing the date, considering similar experiences in past Lok Sabha elections where voting percentages were lower on Fridays and Mondays.

If approved, the new voting date could be October 7 or 8, with the counting of votes potentially moved to October 10 or 11. The original counting date was set for October 4.

The BJP's letter to the ECI highlighted several holidays during the originally planned election period:

• September 28 and 29: Saturday and Sunday
• October 1: Voting day 
• October 2: Gandhi Jayanti (national holiday)
• October 3: Agrasen Jayanti (state holiday)

Additionally, the party mentioned a religious ceremony of the Bishnoi community that could affect voter turnout. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has also supported the idea of postponing the election date. The ECI is expected to make a final decision on this matter in its upcoming meeting. The Commission's primary concern is to ensure maximum voter participation, and it appears to be seriously considering the potential impact of the long weekend on voter turnout.

This possible change in the election date has sparked discussions among political circles in Haryana. While some see it as a necessary step to ensure higher voter participation, others view it as a tactical move by the ruling party. 

The Haryana Story will continue to follow this developing situation and provide updates on the Election Commission's decision regarding the Haryana Assembly election date.