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Madurai Chithirai fest: Polling to be extended for two hours

While the rest of Tamil Nadu will vote from 7 am to 6 pm, Madurai will vote until 8 pm, the CEO said.

Chennai: Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo on Monday announced that polling in Madurai Lok Sabha constituency will be extended for two more hours on April 18 on account of annual Chithirai festival.

While the rest of Tamil Nadu will vote from 7 am to 6 pm, Madurai will vote until 8 pm, the CEO said. The announcement comes days after the Election Commission of India ruled out the possibility of postponing the date of polling in Madurai due to the Chithirai festival.

The statement came as a response to a petition filed by Parthasarathy, a resident in Madurai, who requested the Election Commission of India to have the date moved to April 19. The EC stated that postponing the election in one constituency will pose practical difficulties and instead offered to extend the voting time by two hours in all polling booths across the constituency.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) made it clear at the Madras High Court on Thursday that it cannot postpone the election dates in view of the annual Chithirai festival in Madurai.

The ECI announced the dates for the upcoming general elections on March 10, and Tamil Nadu will vote in the second phase on April 18. However, realising that the date falls during Tamil Nadu's annual Chithirai festival which will take place from April 8 to April 19, Parthasarathy has filed a petition in the Madras high court for the polling date to be moved.

Taking cognizance, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo has sought a detailed report from the Madurai district collector. "The Madurai collector had said April 19 is a local holiday and this was conveyed to the Election Commission. Though no complaint or petition has been received, as the media has raised the issue now, we have sought a detailed report from the collector," Sahoo said.

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