Punjab assembly elections postponed, to be held on February 20

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The assembly polls in all 117 constituencies of Punjab has been postponed, and will be held on February 20, the Election Commission announced on January 17.

The single-phase polls were earlier slated for February 14, but have been deferred by six days in view of the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, that will be observed on February 16.

The Commission said it received several representations which pointed out that "a large number of devotees start moving for Varanasi around a week before the day of celebration and keeping the poll day on 14th February, 2022 will deprive large number of electors from voting".

After considering facts emerging out of representations, inputs from State Government and CEO, past precedence &all circumstances in the matter,ECI has decided to reschedule the General Elections to Legislative Assembly of Punjab:Poll on 20th February 2022 https://t.co/ZOkqTSH8Vb

— Spokesperson ECI (@SpokespersonECI) January 17, 2022

As per the rejigged poll schedule, the election notification would be issued on January 25, the last date for filing nomination will be February 1, the candidatures will be scrutinised on February 2, the final date of withdrawing nominations will be February 3 and voting will be held on February 20, the EC said.

Notably, the third phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be also be held on February 20.

As per the schedule which the EC had announced on January 8, Punjab was scheduled to vote on February 14, when the states of Uttarakhand and Goa would also go to polls. However, most key stakeholders of the electoral process in Punjab had sought a deferment of at least six days in view of the Guru Ravidas Jayanti celebrations.

The state-ruling Congress, along with the opposition Shrimomani Akali Dal (SAD), Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had appealed to the EC to postpone the polls. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, in his letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, said holding the polls on February 14 may deprive around 20 lakh voters to register their mandate.

Channi said the issue was brought to his notice by representatives of the Scheduled Caste community. “It is considered fair and appropriate that the vote for the election may be postponed for at least six days, enabling about 20 lakh people to utilise their right to vote," the chief minister wrote to the CEC.

Congress' state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has his party "welcomes ECI's decision to postpone the Punjab assembly election."