The Top Court vacation bench on Monday dismissed the petition filed by a lawyer, Nizamuddin Pasha, challenging the Poll Commission decision refusing to prepone voting commencement time from 7 am to 5 am for the last phase of voting to, ‘ease difficulty for Muslims during the holy month of Ramzan’, reported ANI.
Supreme Court vacation bench dismissed the petition filed by lawyer, Nizamuddin Pasha, challenging the ECI's decision refusing to prepone voting commencement time from 7 am to 5 am for the last phase of voting to,'ease difficulty for Muslims during the holy month of Ramzan'.
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2019
The Election Commission had on May 5 rejected the plea on the matter saying that changing the poll timing is not feasible for the remaining phases of the general election.
The Election Commission in its response following the Top Court order in its reply further said that it has looked into — the shortage of manpower, logistics, heat wave conditions, presence of polling agents during mock polls, adequate facilities at each polling station. It further said that polling officers are already working at extended hours to complete the job and altering the poll timing will not be feasible.
The Top Court had on May 2 asked the Election Commission to consider whether the polling time can be modified and voting can begin from 5 am instead of 7 am in the view of Ramzan month. Ramzan month is coinciding with the then remaining three phases of the general elections 2019 – May 6, May 12 and May 19.
The Public Interest Litigation filed by the petitioner claimed that due to heat-wave conditions in Rajasthan and other regions of the country, Muslim would not come out to vote.
General Elections 2019 has already started and is being across seven phases starting April 11 to May 19. Last and the seventh phase is slated for May 19. Counting of the votes will be held on May 23. Voting on the remaining 59 constituencies will be held in last phase of polling.
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