Aizawl, Dec 02: Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), which spearheaded a peaceful movement to change the date of counting of votes, on Saturday expressed happiness over the Election Commission’s decision to change the counting date for state assembly polls.
The Election Commission on Friday deferred the counting date from December 3 (Sunday) to December 4 (Monday) following appeals by political parties, churches, civil societies, student bodies and other organisations.
NGOCC Secretary Dr Lalsawmliana thanked the Election Commission for deferring the counting date and also lauded the people of the state for their support.
He attributed the deferment to the collective efforts of NGOs, churches, political parties and the general public and said that it is also the handiwork of the almighty God, who answered the prayers of the people and softened the mind of Election Commission officials.
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Dr Lalsawmliana said that the people of Mizoram have collectively taken measures to ensure that counting of votes is not held either on Saturday (Sabbath) or Sunday.
Recollecting the meeting with ECI officials on November 28, he said the officials were very friendly and the NGOCC were very optimistic that the date of counting may be changed.
“Although we were very optimistic till Friday noon, we became a bit upset in the evening as we did not receive any response from the ECI. However, our hard work and collective efforts finally bear fruit,” he said.
NGOCC secretary Malsawmliana said that they are highly indebted to the Election Commission for listening to their prayers and changing the counting date.
He said that the NGOCC and other organisations stick to peaceful forms of protest in their efforts to change the counting date and never have a plan to invoke violence or disturb counting.
Malsawmliana further said they will send a letter to the Election Commission to thank the poll body for changing the date of counting of votes.
The Election Commission on Friday revised the counting date for Mizoram to December 4.
It said that the decision was taken following representations from various quarters requesting for a change in the date of counting from December 3 on the ground that Sunday holds a special significance for the people of Mizoram, a Christian-majority state.
“The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram from 3rd December 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December 2023 (Monday),” the commission said.
Counting of votes for Mizoram was earlier scheduled for December 3, along with four other states- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana.
All political parties, NGOs, churches, student bodies, Mizoram People’s Forum (poll watchdog) and some individuals had urged the poll panel to change the counting date citing that Sunday as the sacred day for Christians.
Various churches also offered prayers on November 25 and 26 seeking divine intervention to change the counting date.
On November 28, a five-member delegation of NGOCC met Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and other officials and urged them again to defer the counting date.
As the NGOCC did not receive any response from the ECI after it met with officials on November 28, it staged protests across the state on Friday seeking rescheduling of the date of counting of votes.
Polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly was successfully held on November 7 where more than 80 per cent of over 8.57 lakh voters cast their votes to decide the fate of 174 candidates.
