Imphal, Feb 10: The Election Commission (EC), following the request of the political parties and various communities, on Thursday rescheduled the polling dates of Manipur Assembly elections and now the balloting would take place on February 28 and March 5, officials said.

All the political parties, including the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress and the National People’s Party (NPP) also supported the AMCO demands.

Election officials in Imphal said that the EC has rescheduled the two-phase elections to the 60-seat Manipur Assembly from February 27 to February 28 and March 3 to March 5.

EC Secretary Sanjeev Kumar Prasad in a statement said that the Commission on February 7-8 visited Manipur to review election preparedness and held interaction with political parties, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other officials including the state’s Chief Electoral Officer.

“The Commission, having considered inputs, representations, past precedent, logistics, ground situations and all facts and circumstances in the matter, has decided under Section 153 of Representation of the People Act, 1951 to revise the dates of poll of General Election to Legislative Assembly of Manipur,” the statement said.

The counting of votes would take place on March 10 as scheduled.

The All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) earlier urged the Election Commission to reschedule the first phase of Assembly polls on February 27 as the day being a Sunday is the prayer day of the community.

Furthermore, the AMCO said it is apprehensive that a large number of voters may refrain themselves from exercising their franchise as the polling day falls on Sunday thus, purposely robbing off the people their right to universal franchise.

Christian population constitute 41.29 per cent of Manipur’s three million people, of which 41.39 per cent are Hindu and 8.40 per cent people belong to Muslim community.