Election Commission postpones Punjab Elections by six days
New Delhi : The Election Commission has delayed the upcoming Punjab Assembly Election by six days and now voting will be held on February 20 instead of 14 as originally scheduled. The decision was taken after several appeals were made by Punjab’s political parties and leaders to defer the assembly polls in view of Guru Ravidas Jayanti.
The request to postpone the upcoming Punjab Assembly Polls were made by several parties including Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) and former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s party Punjab Lok Congress. The Election Commission was notified that a large number of Scheduled Caste community from State are likely to visit Varanasi, in view of Guru Ravidas birth anniversary on February 16.
Earlier on Saturday, Punjab CM Channi has requested the Election Commission to delay the polls by by six days in view of Guru Ravidas Jayanti. He had written a letter, claiming that some representatives of the Scheduled Castes community, which contributes around 32 per cent of the state’s population, will not be available to cast their votes.
On the occasion, a large number of SC devotees (about 20 lakh) from the state are likely to visit Banaras in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to 16, Channi wrote.
Channi said, “It is considered fair and appropriate that the voting for Punjab assembly elections 2022, maybe postponed for at least six days, enabling about 20 lakh people to utilise their right to vote for the state legislative assembly.”
Voting for Punjab’s 117 assembly seats will be now be held on February 20 instead of February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.
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