The Manipur Congress will write to the election commission of India (ECI), seeking re-scheduling of date for the first phase of polling for the Assembly elections in the state.
Manipur is scheduled go to the polls in two phases — February 27 and March 3.
Notably, February 27 is a Sunday, and the Congress party has said that Sunday is an important day for the Christians.
Manipur Congress working president K Meghachandra said that Christians in the state attend Sunday mass and is an “important day for the Christian community”.
“The ECI must consider another day for first phase of polling,” said Meghachandra.
He added: “Manipur Congress will send a formal letter to the ECI on the matter.”
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It may be mentioned here that out of the 60 Assembly seats in Manipur for which the elections will be held, 20 are ST seats in hill districts that are Christian dominated constituencies.
Tribal bodies in Manipur, including students’ bodies, have raised demand for changing the date for first phase of polling.
The ECI has already postponed the elections to the Punjab Assembly till February 20 after parties in the state requested the election commission for the same as many people from the state are likely to visit Varanasi on the occasion of Guru Ravidas’ birth anniversary.
Earlier, Punjab was scheduled to go to polls on February 14.