NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court asked the Election Commission on Thursday to pass “necessary orders” on a representation seeking advancing of the voting time to 5 AM from 7 AM for the remaining phases of the Lok Sabha polls due to heat wave conditions and onset of the holy month of Ramzan.
A plea in this regard was mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
The bench, also comprising justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, took the petition on board and said, “The Election Commission of India is directed to pass necessary orders. The writ petition is disposed of in the above terms.”
The petition, filed by advocates Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha and Asad Hayat, sought advancement of polling hours by two to two-and-a half hours, for voting to commence from 4.30 or 5 AM instead of 7 AM, in the remaining phases.
“The petitioners pray for a direction to the Election Commission of India to extend the polling hours during the fifth, sixth and seventh phases of the ongoing general elections, 2019 on May 6, May 12 and May 19, respectively, by 2-2.5 hours so as to commence at 4:30/5 AM (instead of the notified time of 7 AM) on account of the unprecedented heat waves prevailing in several parts of the country and the onset of the holy month of Ramzan,” the plea said. (AGENCIES)
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