The Haryana assembly elections have been rescheduled to October 5, moving from the initially planned date of October 1. This adjustment is made to honor the Bishnoi community’s traditions, as their festival coincides with the original date.
The Election Commission (EC) has also updated the counting day for the elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir to October 8, shifting it from October 4.
The decision came after the All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, based in Bikaner, Rajasthan, requested a change. The Bishnoi community observes the Asoj Amavasya festival on October 2 to commemorate Guru Jambeshwar. This tradition involves many families from Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana traveling to Rajasthan, which would have conflicted with the original voting date.
The EC has previously adjusted election schedules to accommodate the sentiments of various communities. For example, during the Punjab assembly elections in 2022, the polling date was shifted to allow devotees to attend Guru Ravidas Jayanti celebrations. Similarly, the Manipur elections in 2022 saw a date change to respect Sunday prayers for the Christian community, and in the 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections, polling was rescheduled to avoid overlapping with Devuthani Ekadashi, a day significant for mass weddings.
The EC’s adjustments reflect its ongoing commitment to respecting diverse cultural and religious practices during election periods.
