Haryana Assembly Polls: Election Commission Revises Voting To October 5

Chandigarh: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revised the polling day for Haryana Assembly Elections from October 1 to October 5, 2024. Following the Election Commission's decision to change the polling date in Haryana, the counting day for the votes in both the Jammu and Kashmir and the Haryana Assembly elections has also been revised from October 4 to October 8, 2024.

The Election Commission of India, while announcing the new dates for the polling, stated that the decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar.

The ECI stated that a representation was received by the commission from the national president of All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner, Rajasthan for rescheduling the date for the Haryana assembly elections.

He said generations of families from Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana visit their native village Mukam in Rajasthan on 'Amavasya' in the month of 'Asoj' for the annual festival in Bikaner in memory of Guru Jambheshwar.

This year, the festival falls on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar will be travelling to Rajasthan on the day, denying them their voting rights.