CHANDIGARH: Punjab Lok Congress has supported the demand for postponing elections in Punjab by a week in view of the Guru Ravi Das Jayanti on February 16.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections have been scheduled on February 14. Tens of thousands of people from Punjab visit Banaras every year around Guru Ravi Das Jayanti.
The party general secretary Kamal Saini in a letter to the Election Commission of India said, since elections are scheduled two days before the Guru Ravi Das Jayanti, many voters may be denied the chance to exercise the franchise as they will be away to Banaras for the annual pilgrimage.
The PLC leader observed it should not be difficult for the Election Commission to reschedule the dates for Punjab, as everything else will remain the same.
He pointed out, there are millions of followers of Guru Ravi Das Ji living in Punjab and a large number from amongst them go for the pilgrimage to Banaras on the Guru’s birth anniversary.
Moreover, he added, this is the demand from almost all the political parties in Punjab and the Election Commission should not have any problem in doing that.