SC dismisses plea to advance poll timing

Supreme Court has dismissed a plea for advancing poll timing to 5.30 am from 7 am for the last phase of the Lok Sabha polls. The petitioner had said that the harsh weather conditions in the ongoing holy month of Ramzan would make voting difficult for Muslim voters.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission to advance poll timings for the seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls, in view of searing heat and the month of Ramzan.

The plea advocated for advancing the poll timings from 7am to 5:30 am.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna rejected the plea, saying the notified timings of voting are from 7 am to 6 pm and voters can cast vote in the morning also.

"The timings are for 7 am to 6 pm. People can come in the morning to cast their votes. They will face logistical problem (if timings are preponed)," the bench told advocate Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha who had filed the petition.

On May 2, the top court had asked the poll panel to pass "necessary orders" on a representation seeking advancing of the voting timing from 7 am for the remaining phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

The Election Commission (EC) on May 5 had rejected the representation in this regard.

Following the poll panel's decision, advocate Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha has approached the apex court seeking a direction to the EC to advance the voting timing

The petitioner had said that the harsh weather conditions would make it difficult for Muslims to go out and vote.

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