“Previously, the elections were set for November 23.”
New Delhi : The Election Commission of India has modified the dates for the Rajasthan assembly elections, shifting them from November 23 to November 25.
In an official notification, the election panel stated that it had received requests from various political parties and social organizations to amend the poll schedule. The change was made to accommodate the substantial number of weddings and social engagements slated for November 23, which could have inconvenienced a significant portion of the population.
Prominent political figures from both major parties have expressed their approval of the decision. BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who is contesting the assembly election from Jhotwara in Jaipur, welcomed the decision, stating, “This is a good thing. The Election Commission wants more voting to happen…This is a good decision…I welcome it.”
Amrita Dhawan, Rajasthan’s Congress co-incharge, commended the Election Commission’s decision, emphasizing that the postponement of the election date, which coincided with the Ekadashi festival, would increase voter turnout. She remarked, “It is good that the Election Commission has taken everything into consideration. Ekadashi is a big festival…The voting percentage will also be affected now that the date has been postponed & voters will come out (to cast their vote)…Congress will win.”
Rajasthan comprises 200 assembly constituencies, and the term of the state assembly is set to expire on January 14 next year. The Election Commission has previously announced the election schedules for other states, including Madhya Pradesh (November 17), Chhattisgarh (November 7 and 17), Mizoram (November 7), and Telangana (November 30). Vote counting will take place on December 3. These state elections are viewed as a significant precursor to the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The Rajasthan election is primarily a head-to-head contest between the BJP and Congress, both vying for the state’s 25 Lok Sabha seats.
At present, the Congress party, led by Ashok Gehlot, governs Rajasthan. In the previous election, the Congress emerged as the single largest party, securing 100 seats. With the support of the Bahujan Samaj Party and independent MLAs, it formed the government. The BJP, on the other hand, secured 73 seats, continuing the trend of the incumbent party not retaining power. In the 2013 assembly election, the BJP had won 163 seats.
