Congress RS MP Syed Naseer Hussain hits out at the EC's for postponing polling date

He said that the government is unable to conduct simultaneous elections in the four states and talks about 'one nation, one election'.

He said, "All I would like to say is that they speak about one nation, one election. However, they are unable to conduct simultaneous elections in 4 states. Simultaneous elections should have been held in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Jharkhand. But dates have been announced in only 2 states, and the dates have also been changed. So, when they can't conduct elections in 4 states, what are they speaking about one nation, one election? They say something, but they do something else."

He further added, "There style of working is to create hindrances in the work of the independent institutions of the country.".

Earlier, former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Saturday, August 31, that the move reflects the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) acknowledgement of an impending electoral loss.

"It is the Election Commission's right; they have extended the date. They (BJP) have already accepted defeat in Haryana. When the Haryana government wrote a letter to the Election Commission, I had said at that time that the BJP had accepted defeat," Hooda said.

The BJP came in support of the move, stating that the decision would increase the voters' participation in the election.

Reacting to the EC's move, BJP leader Anil Vij thanked the electoral body and said, "We are thankful to the Election Commission, they took action on our application and changed the dates. We intended that on the earlier (election) dates, people would have got 5 holidays and there would have been chances that people went for holidays or urgent work, and this could have led to a decrease in the vote percentage...Congress keeps saying things without any reason."

Notably, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, August 31, revised the polling day for Haryana Assembly polls from October 1 to October 5, this year, as well as moved the counting of votes for both Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assemblies from October 4 to October 8.

The decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar as per the ECI.

The Commission said it had received representation from National President, All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner (Rajasthan) for rescheduling the date of polling set for October 1.

As per the representation for generations, numerous families in Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana have observed a long-standing tradition of visiting their native village, Mukam, in Rajasthan during the Amavas in the month of "Asoj" for their annual festival in Bikaner district, in the memory of their Guru Jambheshwar.

This year, the festival will take place on October 2, and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Hisar will be travelling to Rajasthan on poll day, denying them their voting rights, the Election Commission of India said. (ANI)