Haryana Polls Rescheduled to October 5 for Festival

The Election Commission of India has rescheduled the Haryana assembly election from October 1 to October 5, 2024, and moved the counting of votes for both Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir to October 8, instead of October 4. This decision was taken to honor the centuries-old tradition of the Bishnoi community, which involves traveling to Rajasthan for the Asoj Amavasya festival in memory of their Guru Jambheshwar on October 2. The delay aims to ensure the voting rights of Bishnoi families from Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Hisar who would otherwise be unable to vote. While the BJP welcomed the change citing potential low voter turnout due to extended holidays, opposition parties accused the BJP of influencing the Election Commission to gain more time for political maneuvering. The EC has a history of rescheduling elections to respect community traditions, as seen in past elections in Punjab, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh.