EC Revises Polling Date For Haryana Polls To October 5; Counting With J&K On October 8

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced a change in the dates for polling and counting in Haryana amid demands from various sections regarding the same.

Haryana will go to polls on October 5 instead of October 1. The counting of votes for both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir will take place on October 8. The date for the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir remains unchanged.

The poll body said in a statement that representations were received from national and state political parties and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding the mass movement of people of the Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries-old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration.

It may deny voting rights to a large number of people and may lead to reduce voters’ participation in general elections to the legislative assembly of Haryana, the poll body added.

“The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to change the date of poll only for Haryana from 1st October 2024 (Tuesday) to 5th October 2024 (Saturday),” it added.

Poll dates for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana were announced earlier this month for October 1 and the counting of votes for both states was supposed to take place on October 5.

Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases starting from September 18. The third phase of polling, as announced earlier, will be held on October 1. The polling dates in the UT have not been changed.

News18 has learnt that the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of Haryana sent a report on Saturday to the ECI after consulting with the Deputy Commissioners of Hisar, Sirsa, and Fatehabad, after which the date changes were announced.

Bishnoi community’s annual festival falls on “Amavas” during the month of “Asoj” when the devotees go to their native place in Mukam, Bikaner.

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