Mizoram: NGO coordination committee expresses happiness over change of vote counting date

AIZAWL, Dec 2: The NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), which spearheaded a peaceful movement
for the change of date of counting of votes for the Mizoram assembly elections, on Saturday expressed
happiness after the ECI deferred the date by a day.
Several political parties, churches, civil society groups and student bodies of Mizoram had demanded
that the date of counting of votes be changed from December 3 on account of it being a Sunday, a holy
day in the Christian-majority state.
Heeding their demands, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday changed the date to December
4.
Addressing a press conference in Aizawl on Saturday, NGOCC chairman Lalhmachhuana thanked the ECI
for deferring the date of counting and lauded the people of the state for their support.
He attributed the deferment to the collective efforts of NGOs, churches, political parties and the general
public.
He said the NGOCC was very optimistic about date change after their meeting with ECI officials on
November 28.
NGOCC secretary Malsawmliana said the agitators stuck to peaceful forms of protest and never had any
plans to invoke violence or disturb the counting had it taken place on December 3.
Counting of votes for Mizoram was earlier scheduled on December 3, along with four other states —
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana.
Besides requests to the ECI by political parties, NGOs and student bodies, prayers were also offered in
various churches for “divine intervention” for the change of dates.
On November 28, a five-member delegation of NGOCC met chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and
other officials and urged them again to defer the counting date.
Polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly was held on November 7, with more than 80 per cent of
over 8.57 lakh voters having cast their votes to decide the fates of 174 candidates. (PTI)