In Kerala, the bye-election to Palakkad assembly seat has been rescheduled while that for Chelakkara assembly and Wayanad Lok Sabha seats will be held as scheduled earlier on November 13…reports Asian Lite News
The Election Commission on Monday rescheduled assembly bye-elections to all nine and four seats in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, respectively, and one seat in Kerala from November 13 to November 20 in view of festivals, an official statement said.
In Kerala, the bye-election to Palakkad assembly seat has been rescheduled while that for Chelakkara assembly and Wayanad Lok Sabha seats will be held as scheduled earlier on November 13.
Parties including Congress, BJP, BSP and RLD had urged the poll body to reschedule the polls in view of various festivals, saying that it could impact voter turnout.
According to the Congress, a significant portion of the electorate in the Palakkad assembly seat in Kerala will celebrate the festival of Kalpathi Rastholsavam from November 13 to 15.
In Punjab, the party had said, the 555th Prakash Parv of Sri Guru Nanak Dev will be celebrated on November 15 and an ‘akhand path’ will be organised from November 13 onwards. BJP, BSP and RLD had said that in Uttar Pradesh, people travel for three-four days ahead of Kartik Purnima, which will be celebrated on November 15.
Akhilesh takes jibe at BJP
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a jibe on Bharatiya Janata Party saying, “Talenge toh or bhi bura harenge (If they postpone it, they will lose even worse)” after Election Commission rescheduled by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Akhilesh Yadav claimed that ‘BJP postponed’ the election so people affected from “Maha-Berozgari” in UP, who had to move out of the state for employment and returned home on festival, ‘can’t cast their votes’.
“First the Milkipur by-election was postponed, now the dates for by-elections for the remaining seats have been announced. The BJP was never so weak. The fact is that due to ‘Maha-Berozgari’ in UP, people move different parts of the country for work,” Akhilesh Yadav said on X.
“Those people have returned to UP on Diwali and Chhath holidays, and were going to vote to defeat BJP in the by-elections. As soon as BJP got wind of this, it postponed the by-elections, so that people’s holidays end and they go back without casting their votes,” Akhilesh Yadav added.
Akhilesh Yadav claimed that this is an “old trick” of BJP and assured that it will not make any difference.
“This is an old trick of BJP: If we lose, we will postpone it,” Akhilesh Yadav said on X.
EC’s decision to postpone by-polls comes after requests from national and state parties, including INC, BJP, BSP, and RLD, to avoid low voter turnout. National and state parties had requested the EC to shift the dates in these states due to various festivities.
As per Congress, a significant portion of the electorate in the 56-Palakkad AC in Kerala will be engaged in the “Kalpathi Rastholsavam” festival to be celebrated from 13th to 15th November 2024.
As per BJP, BSP and RLD in Uttar Pradesh, people travel three to four days ahead to celebrate Kartik Purnima.
As per request from Congress, in Punjab, the 555th Prakash Parv of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is to be celebrated on November 15, and an Akhand Path is to be organised from November 13, onwards.
Notably, the Commission had rescheduled the polling dates in past elections for the convenience of voters and to enhance their participation.
One assembly constituency in Kerala, four constituencies in Punjab and nine constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will now go to polls on November 20. The date of Counting and Completion of the Poll of these ACs shall remain unchanged i.e. November 23 and 25, respectively. (ANI)
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