In a significant development, the Election Commission of India changed the poll dates of Rajasthan assembly elections from November 23 to November 25.

 

Citing weddings and "social engagements" on that day, the poll panel said it was revising the date. On Monday, the poll panel had announced November 23 as the polling day.

 

 

"Representations have been received by the Commission from various political parties, social organisations and also issues raised in various media platforms for change of date of poll considering large scale wedding, social engagement on that day which may cause inconvenience to a large number of people, various logistics issues and may lead to reduced voter participation during the poll," the Election Commission said in a statement.

 

 

 

Notably, there were reports surfacing that more than 50,000 weddings are going to take place on November 23.

 

As per the schedule announced by the ECI, the date for issuing gazette notification is October 30. The last date for filing nomination is November 6 and the nominations will be scrutinised on November 7. The last date for withdrawing nomination is November 9.

 

“This is a good thing. The Election Commission wants more voting to happen...This is a good decision...I welcome it”, BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore told news agency ANI. He is contesting the assembly election from Jhotwara in Jaipur.

 

Rajasthan's Congress co-incharge Amrita Dhawan told ANI,"It is good that the Election Commission has taken everything into consideration. Ekadashi is a big festival...The voting percentage will also be affected now that the date has been postponed & voters will come out (to cast their vote)...Congress will win".

 

 

Rajasthan has 200 assembly constituencies and the term of the state assembly expires on January 14 next year. The poll panel had announced the schedule for other state elections including Madhya Pradesh (November 17), Chhattisgarh (November 7 and 17), Mizoram (November 7) and Telangana (November 30). The counting of votes will take place on December 3. The elections to these states are being seen as a semifinal before the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

 

The BJP and Congress are in a direct fight in Rajasthan, which also sends 25 members to the Lok Sabha.

 

Rajasthan is currently ruled by Congress under Ashok Gehlot. The grand old party had emerged as the single largest party by winning 100 seats. It formed the government with the help of Bahujan Samaj Party and independent MLAs. The BJP had won 73 seats, failing to break the jinx of a party not retaining power. The saffron party had won 163 seats in the 2013 assembly election.