On November 16, a top official announced that despite numerous appeals for a change, the Election Commission has chosen to proceed with the originally scheduled date for counting votes in the Mizoram assembly polls on December 3.
Given that December 3 coincides with November 12, major political parties, civil society organizations, and others in the Christian-majority state had requested the election panel to reconsider the date due to potential clashes with church programs. “I have engaged in discussions with the Election Commission, and the counting will proceed according to the originally announced schedule,” stated Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas to PTI.
On November 14, Vyas traveled to Delhi and held discussions with Election Commission officials regarding the matter. He emphasized that unlike polling, counting on December 3 would not impact the general public, as only designated staff working directly under the Election Commission would be involved in the process, allowing people to engage in their activities freely on that day. “Counting must occur on the predetermined date for all five states,” emphasized Vyas. The tallying of votes for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana is scheduled for December 3.
On November 7, polling took place for the 40-member Mizoram assembly, witnessing a turnout of over 80 percent from the 8.57 lakh voters who participated in determining the fate of 174 candidates. Various entities, such as political parties like the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the BJP, along with church and student bodies, communicated with the Election Commission, urging a reconsideration of the counting date. The NGO Coordination Committee, comprising significant civil society organizations, echoed similar requests.
