Punjab Election 2022: CM Charanjit Singh Channi Urges EC To Defer Polls By Six Days

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for postponement of the upcoming state assembly polls by at least six days.

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for postponement of the upcoming state assembly polls by at least six days. Punjab will go to polls on February 14 and the results will be declared on March 10.

In a letter to the Election Commission, Punjab CM Channi sought delay in the state polls as large number of Scheduled Caste devotees will be travelling out of state to Banaras in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to February 16 to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Ravidass.

“It has been brought to my notice by the representatives of Scheduled Caste community, which contributes around 32 per cent of the total population of the State, that birth anniversary of Sri Guru Ravidass falls on February 16, 2022,” CM Channi said in his letter to the poll body, news agency ANI reported.

“And, on this occasion, a large number of SC devotees (about 20 lakh) from the State are likely to visit Banaras in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to 16, 2022. In such a situation, many people from this community would not be able to cast their votes for the state assembly polls,” Channi said.

Punjab CM Channi said the community has requested that the voting date may be extended in such a way that they are also able to visit Banaras for the occasion as well as participate in the polls.

Requesting Chief Election Commission of ECI, Sushil Chandra to postpone the Punjab polls by a week, Channi asserted it is considered fair and appropriate that the voting for Punjab Assembly Election 2022 may be postponed for at least six days, enabling about 20 lakh people to utilise their right to vote.

On Thursday, Congress released its list of 86 candidates for 2022 Punjab polls. Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi will contest from Chamkaur Sahib while Congress party’s state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu will contest from Amritsar East.

Punjab Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was fielded from Dera Baba Nanak while state transport minister Raja Amrinder Warring will contest from Gidderbaha.