Mizoram Assembly Elections 2023: Why are results in the state not being declared today?

The results for the Assembly elections in the five states — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram — were scheduled to be declared today (3 December). However, the Election Commission of India has revised the dates for the counting of votes in Mizoram.Now, the counting of votes in Mizoram will take place on 4 December, a day after its original schedule, as announced by the Election Commission (EC) on Friday.But why?Displeasure over ‘holy day’ clashThe decision to change the date comes with protests in the state planned by the Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC).The group expressed displeasure with the 3 December counting date because it comes on Sunday, a holy day for Christians.Despite requests from the Mizos, including political parties and various organisations, to change the counting date due to concerns about disrupting church services, the Election Commission (EC) had remained unmoved at first.On Friday, political parties and various organisations took to the streets in the state capital Aizawl, expressing their discontent with the EC's decision not to reschedule the vote-counting date.[caption id="attachment_13458082" align="alignnone" width="640"]

The counting was earlier scheduled for Sunday, when the results of the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana Assembly polls would be declared. PTI[/caption]This led the EC to revise the dates. It stated in a statement: “The Commission has received several representations from various quarters requesting for change in date of counting from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to some other week day, on the ground that 3rd December, 2023 being Sunday a special significance for the people of Mizoram.”“The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December, 2023 (Monday),” the note said.Congress questions delay in vote counting date changeAs the Election Commission changed the date for counting of votes in Mizoram by a day, the Congress on Friday questioned the delay in the announcement even though political parties had made representations in this regard more than a month ago.Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the parties contesting the Mizoram election had asked for the date of counting to be shifted in the northeastern state from Sunday (3 December) to Monday (4 December).“Representations were made over a month ago, but the ECI remained silent. A little while earlier, it has shifted the date. Why the delay in taking such a simple and obvious step?” he asked in a post on X.The counting was earlier scheduled for Sunday, when the results of the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana Assembly polls would be declared.In the 2018 Assembly elections, the Mizo National Front (MNF) won 26 seats with a 37.8 per cent vote share, deposing the Congress from power. With inputs from PTI