The Election Commission on Wednesday advanced the poll to the 40-member Mizoram Legislative Assembly to November 25 instead of December 4. The counting of votes will now be taken up on December 9 instead of December 8.
The decision of the Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath, comes in view of the representations received by it from various political parties, churches and NGOs in the State who have sought a change in the dates as the original polling day coincides with the State-wide conference of the Mizoram Synod, the highest decision-making body of the Presbyterian, in Aizawl. They have also wanted a change in the date of counting of votes as the day (December 8), a Sunday, was a sacred day for Christians.
Now, the poll notification will be issued on November 1 and November 8 is the last day for filing nominations. On November 9 the papers will be scrutinized and November 11 is the last date for withdrawal of the candidatures.
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Mizoram, presently ruled by the Congress and headed by Chief Minister Pu Lalthanhawla, consists of as many as 87 per cent Christians in various denominations, predominantly Presbyterian. Hindus form 3.6 per cent of population and there are also around 8.3 per cent Buddhists according to the 2001 census. Muslims are about 1.1 per cent of the State’s population.