The Election Commission of India, on Friday, announced that it is revising the schedule for counting of votes for the recently concluded Mizoram assembly elections.
According to a press release from EC, the counting, which was scheduled for Sunday (December 3) will now take place on Monday (December 4).
The EC took the decision following requests from several quarters to change the date.
Political parties, civil society organisations, churches and a church-sponsored poll watchdog in Mizoram had opposed the counting date and sent numerous pleas to the EC urging it to reschedule the counting date because it falls on Sunday, a sacred day for Christians in the Christian-majority state.
"The Commission has received several representations from various quarters requesting for change in date of counting from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to some other week day, on the ground that 3rd December, 2023 being Sunday a special significance for the people of Mizoram," the EC said in a press release.
"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)."
Earlier, churches in Mizoram had held prayers to seek divine intervention to change the date of counting of votes for state assembly polls.
The commission clarified that the counting in the other four states that went to polls recently—Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana—will take place as planned on Sunday.
Polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly was held on November 7.