Rajasthan Elections 2023: Polling date changed to November 25

Representative image

The Election Commission of India on October 11 decided to change the schedule of Rajasthan Assembly polls. The polling will take place on November 25 instead of November 23.

The EC said it received representations from various political parties and social organisations regarding the change of poll dates in view of large-scale wedding/social engagement on November 23 which may cause inconvenience to a large number of people, various logistic issues and may lead to reduced voter participation during the poll.

“Representations have been received in the Commission from various political parties, social organisations and also issues raised in various media platforms for change of date of poll considering large scale wedding/social engagement on that day which may cause inconvenience to large number of people, various logistic issues and may lead to reduced voters participation during (Rajasthan assembly) poll, " the official statement read.

"The Commission, having considered these factors and representations, has decided to change the date of poll from 23rd November, 2023 (Thursday) to 25th November, 2023 (Saturday),"stated the  EC's official statement as reported by ANI.

The counting of votes will take place as scheduled on 3 December.

Also read: BJP sidelines Raje, old-guards as part of attacking game plan

The state currently has 200 Assembly constituencies. The term of the assembly ends on January 14, 2024.

Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari and Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore are among the seven BJP parliamentarians who will contest the polls.

Recently, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot  met Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Gehlot  said the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) will meet around October 18 to finalise the candidates. He said that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and all the other senior leaders will be campaigning in the state.

In the 2018 polls, The Congress ended up winning 100 out of the 200 seats, whereas, the BJP was reduced to 79 constituencies.