UP bypolls: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met the Election Commission today (October 17) requesting a change in the election date due to Kartik Purnima. The delegation included state general secretary Govind Narain Shukla, Sanjay Rai, Rampratap Singh Chauhan and State Convener of Election Commission Contact Department Akhilesh Kumar Awasthi, who submitted a letter to the Election Commission for change in the polling date due to Kartik Purnima festival.
The BJP and Rashtriya Lok Dal on Thursday asked the Election Commission to defer the bypoll dates from November 13 to November 20 in view of Kartik Purnima bath and puja.
The BJP delegation, while handing over the letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer said that the date of the by-election in Uttar Pradesh has been declared on November 13. Whereas, Kartik Purnima bathing festival is on November 15. It is known that the bathing festival and worship of Kartik Purnima have special significance in Uttar Pradesh.
A large number of people go to bathe and worship on Kartik Purnima. It is worth noting that on the occasion of Kartik Purnima people reach Kundarki, Meerapur, Ghaziabad and Prayagraj, people arrive at least three to four days in advance to participate and worship in the fair. The majority of voters may be deprived of voting due to this, the delegation noted.
The delegation said that the Election Commission is committed to 100 per cent voting. In such a situation, the voting percentage in the by-election may be low due to Kartik Purnima. Therefore, it would be appropriate to fix the date of the by-election as November 20, 2024 instead of November 13, 2024.
"The Election Commission is committed to 100 per cent voting. In such a situation, the voting percentage in the byelection may be low due to Kartik Purnima. Therefore, it would be appropriate to fix the date of the byelection as November 20 instead of November 13," it said.
The RLD also made similar demand of changing the poll dates to November 20 due to bathing in river Ganga on the Kartik Purnima, party national spokesperson Anil Dubey said.
Bypolls are set to be held in 10 assembly seats-
- Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar)
- Karhal (Mainpuri)
- Milkipur (Ayodhya)
- Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar)
- Ghaziabad
- Majhawan (Mirzapur)
- Sisamau (Kanpur city)
- Khair (Aligarh)
- Phulpur (Prayagraj)
- Kundarki (Moradabad)
Except for Milkipur, the Election Commission has announced polls on the remaining nine seats. The polling on these nine seats will be held on November 13.
