BJP writes to EC, wants Haryana Assembly poll postponed due to holidays

The BJP has urged the Election Commission to briefly postpone the assembly elections in Haryana due to holidays preceding and following the polling date of October 1.

The request was made by the Haryana unit of the ruling BJP.

Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal confirmed that the poll panel received a copy of the communication on Friday. The letter has been forwarded to the Election Commission.

Varinder Garg of the BJP said October 1 was preceded by holiday on the weekend and followed by some holidays which may hit the voting percentage as people go on vacation on long weekends which are followed by holidays.

"We have written to the Election Commission,” Garg told PTI. “For a better turnout, any new date once the string of holidays is over should be fine.”

He said that date of polling, October 1, comes after the weekend (September 28-29), and it will also be a holiday on account of voting in the state. It will be followed by Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, while October 3 is also a holiday on account of Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti, Garg said.

Reacting to BJP's request, Haryana Congress leaders mocked the saffron party saying it is scared of imminent defeat and is using the long weekend as an excuse to have the polls postponed.

The Election Commission had announced that assembly polls in Haryana would be held on October 1 and the results would be declared on October 4.

(With agency inputs)