EC postpones Punjab Assembly polls to Feb 20

Chandigarh: The Election Commission of India on Monday postponed the Punjab Assembly polls to February 20 in view of the Ravi Das Jayanti celebrations.

As per the new schedule issued, the date of notification is January 25. The last date for filing nominations is February 1. The date of scrutiny is February 2 while the last date of withdrawal is February 4. The counting day remains unchanged — March 10.

The Commission said the poll dates have been postponed as it had received representations from the state government, political parties, and other organisations drawing its attention to the expected movement of a large number of people from Punjab to Varanasi for participation in Guru Ravidas Jayanti celebrations that fall on February 16.

Devotees start moving to Varanasi around a week before the day of celebration and polling on February 14 would have deprived them of voting. Inputs from the state government and Punjab Chief Electoral Officer were sought. The Congress and the BJP were among others who had sought the postponement.

Notably, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in a letter to the Election Commission had suggested that the Assembly polls on February 14 should be deferred by at least six days in view of the Guru Ravidas Jayanti.

The Punjab CM had said in his letter that representatives of the Scheduled Castes community, which comprises 32 per cent of Punjab's population, have told him that a large number of people from the community would visit Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to 16, and so may not be able to vote.