New Delhi: The polling time in Madurai Lok Sabha constituency will be extended by two hours, till 8pm on April 18. The Election Commission (EC) took the decision in the view of Chithirai festival, when lakhs to people visit the district to witness the grand entry of Lord Kallazhagar into the Vaigai.
The poll date in Maundy may also be postponed as voting is clashing with a holy day of Christians. The Madras High Court will on Tuesday hear two PILs seeking the postponement.
"As far as Madurai is concerned, polling will be (extended) as per the Election Commission's direction. We have been given permission to hold the polls till 8 pm. But the issue is before the court. We will be able to finalise it after the verdict [is delivered]," The Hindu quoted Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo as saying, after a State-level meeting with District Electoral Officers, Superintendents and Commissioners of Police regarding the preparations for the polls.
In all other constituencies, voting will take place between 7 am and 6 pm. Voters in constituencies in and around Madurai, he contended, would be able to attend the Chithirai festival after casting their vote.
Meanwhile, the report stated that a Division Bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad accepted a request made by senior counsel Fr A Xavier Arulraj for urgent hearing of a PIL petition filed by Most Rev Antony Pappusamy, Archbishop and president of the Tamil Nadu Bishop’s Council, based in Madurai, since the EC was expected to notify the elections on Tuesday.
The petitioner said around 50 lakh Christians in the State would be visiting churches and participating in official liturgy on polling day, and therefore, it would be convenient for them if the date of polling was rescheduled. A similar PIL petition was filed by the Christuva Nallena Iyakkam.
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