Reschedule counting date: ruling MNF, opposition Congress tells EC in poll-bound Mizoram

Stating that counting of votes on a Sunday (on December 3) will clash with church meetings in Christian-majority Mizoram, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and Opposition Congress in the poll-bound state has moved the Election Commission to reschedule the date of counting. 

The Election Commission on Monday announced that polling for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly would be conducted on November 7. The EC fixed December 3 for counting of votes along with Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Soon after the dates were announced, the Congress in Mizoram objected to the decision for counting of votes on December 3 as it falls on Sunday. The party appealed to the EC to reschedule the counting date. 

MNF general secretary TC Kaphmingthanga wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar urging him to reschedule the date on December 4. "Sunday is an important day for the Christians and church meetings are held on Sunday in all the villages across Mizoram, which is a Christian majority state," it said. 

During the visit of a team of EC on August 30 to Mizoram, major political parties urged the EC not to conduct the polls and counting on a weekend as the Christians remain busy in churches. But fixing December 3 (Sunday) for counting of votes surprised them.