The Election Commission on Sunday rejected a plea seeking rescheduling of voting time on account of Ramazan, and the heat wave.
“The Commission does not find it feasible to alter the existing hours of the poll for the 5th, 6th and 7th phase of general elections to the Lok Sabha, 2019,” the poll body said, citing logistical and administrative problems.
The fifth phase of Lok Sabha polling has begun on Monday on 51 Lok Sabha seats in seven states.
The Supreme Court on May 2 had asked the poll watchdog to decide on a plea seeking re-scheduling of voting time from 7 am to 5 am in the ongoing during the month of Ramzan coinciding with the rest of the phases and also due to heat-wave conditions in Rajasthan and other areas.
The plea had been filed by Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha, an advocate.
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Advocate Meenakshi Arora, appearing for Pasha, had submitted to the bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Rajan Gogoi that the polling should begin earlier because of the declaration of a possible heat wave during those days by the meteorological department and the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan.
Arora had further submitted to the top court that since the polling time cannot be extended in the evening due to the heat wave, the process should be allowed to begin sooner than usual.
(With ANI inputs)