Mizoram parties, churches welcome change in poll dates

Aizawl: All political parties in Mizoram, churches and civil society today welcomed the decision of the Election Commission of India to change the dates for polling and counting of votes for the Assembly polls. The Election Commission today changed the proposed date of polling from 4 December to 25 November and the date of counting of votes from 8 December to 9 December. State joint chief electoral officer H Lalengmawia said that as per ECI’s new schedule announced today, notification for the election would be issued on November 1, last date of filing nomination is 8 November, scrutiny of nominations will be held on November 9 and last date of withdrawal of candidature is 11 November.[caption id=“attachment_1190171” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] New poll dates for Mizoram. Reuters[/caption] Mizoram’s lone Lok Sabha member and veteran Congress leader CL Ruala told PTI that the ruling Congress welcomed the decision of ECI and hoped that the churches, civil societies and other political parties would also welcome the same. The main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) and other parties like Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC), Zoram Nationalist party (ZNP), BJP and Trinamool Congress also expressed happiness over the ECI decision. Lalbiakzuala, president of the central committee of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest organisation of Mizos in the state, said that the organisation was pleased to hear the rescheduling of the state assembly polls as sought by the churches, NGOs and political parties. The churches, NGOs and political parties wanted a change in the polling date, scheduled earlier on 4 October, as it would have coincided with the Presbyterian Church’s highest decision-making conference – the Synod which is to be held during 3 December to 8 December. The United Pentecostal Church - Mizoram (UPC-Mizoram) – is also scheduled to have its annual general conference during the same period. This would have resulted in thousands of people, including priests being unable to exercise franchise. PTI