Election Commission changes counting date of Arunachal, Sikkim to June 2. Here's WHY?

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday changed the counting of votes date for assembly elections to Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim from June 4 to June 2.

In a statement, the Election Commission said, "There will be no change in respect of the schedule for the parliamentary constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.".

On March 16, the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for assembly polls in Sikkim, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh, along with the schedule for general elections.

The 32-member Sikkim assembly and the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh assembly will go to the polls in a single phase along with the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19.

The election for the 175-member Andhra Pradesh assembly will be conducted in a single phase on May 13th, and polling for the 147-member Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13th, 20th, 25th, and 1st, along with the Lok Sabha polls.

The CEC Rajiv Kumar-led Election Commission of India also announced the dates of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024 on Saturday.

The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting on April 19. The counting will be held on June 4.