Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda says BJP has conceded defeat as EC postpones elections

New Delhi [India], August 31 (ANI): Reacting to the Election Commission's recent decision to push the Haryana assembly election date from October 1 to October 5, former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday said that the move reflects the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) acknowledgment 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.
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."
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday 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 would be travelling to Rajasthan on poll day, denying them their voting rights, the Election Commission of India said. (ANI)