Assembly elections in Punjab will be held on February 20, the Election Commission said today. The date has been changed from February 14 after political parties requested the Election Commission to factor in Guru Ravidas Jayanti celebrations.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in a letter to the Election Commission had suggested the assembly polls should be deferred by at least six days after representatives of the Scheduled Castes community, which comprises 32 per cent of Punjab's population, told him that a large number of people from the community would visit Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to 16 and so may not be able to vote. The birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas is on February 16.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwalt today said that his party's chief ministerial candidate for Punjab assembly polls will be announced tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who arrived at the Goa airport early on Monday after meeting BJP leaders in the national capital said that the final list of candidates for the assembly elections will be announced on January 19.
"I met party leaders to discuss the ensuing assembly elections. The final list of candidates will be announced on January 19," said the Goa Chief Minister.