Mizoram Assembly polls: Churches, NGOs, parties appeal to Election Commission to reschedule counting date

Aizwal (Mizoram) [India], November 5 (ANI): Churches, civil society groups and political parties in Mizoram have requested the Election Commission to reschedule the date of counting of votes for the state assembly elections.
Elections to the 40-member assembly will take place on November 7 and counting will be held on December 3, which falls on a Sunday.
While speaking to ANI, Lalchung Nunga, a Retired Pastor and Member of Mizoram Church leaders committee said, "The people of Mizoram along with the churches, NGOs, and political parties have rejected the counting date because counting is scheduled on Sunday and on Sunday all the people of Mizoram go to church for prayer, it is a very sacred day of Christians."
Speaking to ANI Rev. Lalramliana Pachuau, Gen Sec Mizoram People Forum said "The EC has not agreed to our request so far. Three days ago, we sent another letter to the commission to postpone the counting date to either December 4 or 5 as most people in Mizoram would be busy with church activities on the scheduled date."
Earlier, last month a church body, political parties and NGOs had also jointly written to the Election Commission requesting it to reschedule the counting date, which is scheduled to take place on December 3.
Meanwhile, the election campaign ended in Mizoram on Sunday evening for the November 7 polls to 40 assembly seats in the state.
As Mizoram is a Christian-majority state, leaders of all political parties visit the church for Sunday prayers.
Speaking on the preparation for the assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mizoram election Madhup Vyas told ANI, "Preparations are going as per the schedule which has been prescribed by the ECI. We are all prepared for polling on November 7. We have prepared 1,276 polling stations and have provided all the assured minimum facilities. The voters' list was finalised as per the second special summary revision. We have 174 candidates contesting for 40 assembly seats."
In the 2018 assembly polls, the Mizo National Front bagged 26 seats with a vote share of 37.8 per cent to emerge victorious The Congress secured five seats and the BJP won one seat.
Mizoram is one of the five states which is set to undergo polls. Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases, with the first phase of polling for 20 seats scheduled for November 7 and the remaining 70 seats to go for polling on November 17. Madhya Pradesh will go to the polls on November 17, Rajasthan on November 25 and Telangana on November 30.
The counting of votes in all five states will be done on December 3. (ANI)