Voting will take place in Punjab on February 20 in view of Guru Ravidas Jayanti

Polling dates changed keeping in view the demands of political parties

Polling was to be held on 14th February but at this time changes were made as millions of devotees of Guru Ravidas were going to Varanasi.

New Delhi: Assembly elections were to be held in Punjab on February 14. However, the election date has been postponed by a week in view of Guru Ravidas Jayanti. Following which, polling will now be held in Punjab on February 20. Both the BJP and the Congress had demanded a change in the election dates before the Election Commission.

As Guru Ravidas's birth anniversary falls on February 16 next month, millions of devotees flock to his residence in Varasani, Uttar Pradesh. There are millions of devotees of Guru Ravidas especially in Punjab. He will not be present in Punjab on his 16th birthday and will have reached Varanasi in advance.

Therefore, parties including BJP, Congress and BSP had submitted to the Election Commission that the election dates should be changed as they could not be present for voting on the 14th. These demands have been accepted by the Election Commission and polling will now be held in Punjab on February 20. The decision of the Election Commission was welcomed by various political parties.

First, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channy wrote a letter to the Election Commission saying that millions of people from the SC community in Punjab would go to Varanasi from February 10 to 16 to celebrate Guru Ravidas's birth anniversary. Voting dates are changed so they cannot vote. The BJP later made a similar argument. In the end, these demands have been accepted.