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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a postponement of the Haryana assembly elections, originally scheduled for October 1st, to October 5th. This decision was made in response to concerns raised by various political parties regarding the potential disruption of voting due to the mass movement of members of the Bishnoi community to Rajasthan for the Asoj Amavasya festival.
The ECI received representations from national and state political parties, as well as the All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, highlighting the potential for a significant reduction in voter turnout in Haryana if the elections were held on October 1st. The community's traditional journey to Rajasthan for the festival, which occurs annually, could lead to a large number of people being unable to cast their votes. The ECI recognized the potential for this situation to disproportionately affect the Bishnoi community's participation in the election.
The postponement drew criticism from opposition parties, who accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the festival as an excuse to delay the elections. The Congress party, led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, alleged that the BJP's move was a sign of their impending defeat and a tactic to avoid facing the electorate. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the BJP was seeking to manipulate the timing of the election to their advantage. The BJP, however, had previously requested a postponement of the elections, citing the potential impact of a long weekend on voter turnout. Despite the opposition's objections, the ECI ultimately decided to move the election date to ensure a more inclusive and representative electoral process.
Source: Haryana elections: Election Commission defers voting to October 5, results on October 8