Himanta Biswa Sarma to urge ECI to schedule LS polls before Rongali Bihu in Assam

Guwahati: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) tentatively setting the Lok Sabha Poll Day as April 16, 2024, the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that he will request the commission to schedule the Lok Sabha polls in Assam before Rongali Bihu, i.e. before April 14, 2024.

“Normally, elections in Assam end before the Rongali Bihu. However, I will suggest that the ECI hold Lok Sabha elections in Assam before Rongali Bihu so that the people here can enjoy the festival with joy,” the chief minister told media persons on Wednesday.

According to the circular, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi specified April 16, 2024, as the provisional poll day, intending it for reference purposes and to assist in calculating start and end dates in the Election Planner.

The official X handle of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, took to social media to clarify that the mentioned date is purely for “reference” and is intended for officials to plan activities accordingly.

Responding to media queries about a circular from @CeodelhiOffice, the post emphasized that April 16, 2024, was indicated solely as a reference for officials to plan activities based on the Election Planner of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

To address any potential confusion, the poll panel issued a comprehensive statement, asserting that the tentative poll date specified in the circular holds no significance to the actual election schedule.

The statement clarified that the April 16, 2024, date was provided for reference purposes only, allowing election officials to plan activities in accordance with the Election Planner of the ECI.