GUWAHATI: All the major political parties and civil society groups of Mizoram has appealed to the Election Commission (EC) to reschedule the counting date for the upcoming assembly elections. Currently set on a Sunday, December 3, they appealed for a change as the day is considered “sacred” in the Christian-majority state.
The appeal was a culmination of separate letters sent to the EC by five significant political parties, all echoing a similar sentiment regarding the sanctity of Sunday in Mizoram. These parties include the BJP, Congress, the reigning MNF, Zoram People’s Movement, and the People’s Conference.
Highlighting the significance of Sundays to the Christian community in Mizoram, the joint letter stated, “We the Mizos devote solely to the worship of God on Sunday. No official programmes or businesses are trusted on Sunday in Mizoram.” The document bore the signatures of the presidents of all participating political parties and non-governmental organisations.
Adding to this, the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), representing a consortium of major churches in the state, forwarded their plea to the EC. They stressed that Sundays were reserved for worship services throughout the towns and villages, imploring the Commission to consider an alternate date for counting votes.
This development followed the EC’s announcement last Monday, revealing the election schedule for five states, including Mizoram. The state’s assembly elections for its 40 seats is slated to take place on November 7, with the vote count slated for December 3, aligning with the other four states.
The BJP, acknowledging the reverence of Sunday for the Christians, which makes up roughly 87% of Mizoram’s population based on the 2011 Census, too sought the EC to defer the counting day.
The ruling MNF proposed a specific alternative, suggesting the counting be moved to Monday, December 4. Meanwhile, Lalsawta, the state Congress president, conveyed through his letter that Sundays in Mizoram are “untouched” by official businesses or programmes.
