AIZAWL: Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomerate of major churches in the state, political parties and other organisations on Thursday re-appealed the Election Commission to reschedule the date of counting of votes to either December 4 or 5, a MKHC leader said.
As per the Election Commission’s schedule, counting of votes for Mizoram assembly along with four other states that go to polls this month, will be held on December 3, which is Sunday.
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Representatives of MKHC, political parties, Mizoram People’s Forum (Poll watchdog) and civil society organisations met state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Madhup Vyas on Thursday for the third time and urged him to take measures to change the counting date, the leader said.
The representative urged that the counting date be shifted to December 4 (Monday) or December 5 (Tuesday) rather than Sunday, he said.
Apart from verbal requests, the leaders also submitted a written appeal to the CEO, he said.
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Vyas on his part told the leaders that he will inform the matter to the Election Commission for further consideration.
He also told political parties to re-submit representations to the Election Commission seeking a change in the counting date, the MKHC leader said.
He said that the meeting with the CEO was positive and they are optimistic about rescheduling of the counting date.
Last month, seven political parties, including the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and BJP, as well as civil society organizations and student bodies, including Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), had jointly written to the Election Commission to reschedule the date of counting of votes citing Sunday is a sacred day for Christian community of the state.
Before this, all political parties had also separately written to the Central poll panel urging it to change the counting date.
In its letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on 9 October, the MNF urged him to reschedule the counting date on December 4, which is Monday.
Congress President Lalsawta, who wrote on the party’s behalf, had also said in his letter to the Election Commission that Sunday is a sacred day for the people of Mizoram and no official programmes or business are transacted on this day.
While requesting the ECI to respect the sentiments of the Mizo people, the Congress president had also urged the Central poll panel to reschedule and fix the date for counting of votes preferable between Monday and Friday.
The Election Commission is yet to respond to the pleas.
Meanwhile, Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) president Lalliansawta on Thursday sent another letter to the Election Commission requesting it to reschedule the counting date to December 4.
Polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly concluded peacefully on Tuesday and 80.43 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the polls, according to the election department.
Voting will be held again in one polling state within Aizawl South-III constituency on Friday, officials said.
The repolling at Muallungthu polling station was necessitated as polling officials did not clear the mock-poll in EVMs ahead of the voting on Tuesday, they said.