The Haryana assembly elections that were scheduled to occur on October 1st will now be held on the 5th of the same month to respect the voting rights and practices of the Bishnoi voters. The Election Commission (EC) has made this change because the festival of Bishnoi falls on the first phase of polling. The vote count for Haryana and the Jammu and Kashmir elections has also been postponed from October 4 to October 8.
The decision comes on representations by the All India Bishnoi Mahasabha Bikaner Rajasthan-based organization wherein the concern’s community of Bishnois was ensured about the Asoj Amavasya festival for remembering the Guru Jambeshwar. Traditionally, it could be considered obligatory for many families from Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana to visit their village Mukam in Rajasthan during this time of the year with a focus on celebrating the festival in Bikaner.
This year, the Asoj Amavasya festival is on October 2, and thousands of Bishnoi families are traveling to Rajasthan from Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Hisar, which they would have undergone on the original voting day.
The people’s feelings have been considered on specific election dates that the EC has changed before. Most recently, the residuary assembly elections of Punjab were held a week early to let the visitors, who came for the culmination of Guru Ravidas Jayanti Mela at Varanasi, vote. The same was done in Manipur to honor the prayers of the Christian community and in Rajasthan to avoid confrontation with essential cultural activities.
The EC added that the change of the polling date will also address concerns about a six-day holiday, as September 30 is just a day away from voting.
