Chandigarh, January 17
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab President and Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann has welcomed the decision of Chief Election Commission (CEC) to set February 20 as the polling date in the state. Mann said that the date of voting has been postponed from February 14 to February 20 in view of the celebrations of Guru Ravidas Ji’s Parkash Diwas, and it was necessary out of the respect for the sentiments of the people of Punjab and to protect their right to vote in the upcoming Punjab Legislative Assembly elections.
It may be recalled that Bhagwant Mann had written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Mr. Sushil Chandra suggesting that the birth anniversary of Shiromani Bhagat Sri Guru Ravidas Ji falls on February 16th and it is celebrated in all parts of India including Punjab. Devotees of Sri Guru Ravidass ji will be engaged in religious activities for about a week.
Bhagwant Mann said that every year a large number of devotees from Punjab visit Varanasi (Banaras) on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Ji’s birthday. These devotees leave for Banaras one week before Guru Ravidas Ji jayanti and usually return 3-4 days later. He said that the Punjab Assembly polls would be held on February 14th and due to this either a large number of Guru Ravidas devotees would be deprived of visiting Banaras or they would not be able to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
According to the letter, Mann had requested CEC Mr. Sushil Chandra to deferral the polling date in Punjab by at least a week so that the people of Punjab can celebrate Prakash Purab, visit Banaras and come back to exercise their constitutional right to vote without any problem. He said that the Election Commissioner had accepted the appeal and a new date February 20th is declared as the date of polling in Punjab which is welcomed by the Aam Aadmi Party.
