EC to Consider Demand For Change in Mizoram Poll Schedule

The Assembly polls are slated on December 4 and counting will take place on December 8 and organisations and parties are demanded that both the dates be advanced.

New Delhi, Oct 22 : With several leaders, NGOs and religious organisations requesting for change in the date for assembly polls in Christian-dominated Mizoram, the Election Commission will take a call on the issue at its meeting here tomorrow.

Political parties, churches and NGOs have sought change in the dates of polling and counting of votes as the polling day coincides with the time when the Mizoram Synod, the highest decision-making body of the Presbyterian, will hold state-wide conference in Aizawl and the counting day falls on Sunday, a sacred day for Christians.

The Assembly polls are slated on December 4 and counting will take place on December 8 and organisations and parties are demanded that both the dates be advanced.

They have sought that instead of polling on December 4 along with Delhi, it may be held on November 25 along with Madhya Pradesh polls and counting be taken up on December 6.

A delegation of Congress leaders today met Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioner H S Brahma to seek a change in the dates.

The delegation comprising Luizinho Faleiro, AICC General Secretary, AICC Secretary of Legal and Human Rights department K C Mittal, C L Ruala, MP, Bhupen Kumar Borah, MLA, besides other Mizoram Congress leaders said, "It would be most appropriate and desirable to advance the date of polling to November 25."

They said since this is the period of festivity in Mizoram when most voters will be busy in church conferences during the week, many of them will not be able to vote and it will result in "deprivation of their voting rights".

Several organisations and major political parties of Mizoram have already submitted memoranda to the EC seeking change of assembly poll dates.

The Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomerate of leaders of 13 major churches in the state, has also pleaded with the EC to change the polling and counting dates.