The Election Commission postponed the Punjab Assembly polls. The state elections will be held on February 20 instead of February 14, the commission said.
As Guru Rabidas Jayanti falls on 16 February, several political parties petitioned the commission to postpone the elections. The commission also held a meeting on Sunday with this demand. After that meeting, the commission announced the change on this day.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh had asked the Channi Commission to postpone the polls. Representatives of BJP and BSP also appealed to the commission to postpone the elections. Following this demand, the commission has held the Punjab elections on February 20. The election will be completed in one go there.
About 20 lakh devotees will visit Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from January 10 to 16 on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti. If the election had taken place on February 14, they would not have been able to vote. Considering that aspect, the commission postponed the election.
