SC Asks EC If Lok Sabha Voting Can Start From 4.30 AM To Help Muslims During Ramzan

With the Muslim festival season of Ramazan falling during the last three phases of the general elections, the Supreme Court, in response to a PIL has asked the Election Commission if the start of polling time could be advanced from 7 am to 4.30 am, reports Times of India.

Appearing for the petitioner Mohammed Nizamuddin Pasha, senior advocate Meenakshi Arora requested a bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi for an urgent listing of the petition seeking advancement of voting time during Ramzan. Quickly taking petition on board, the SC directed the EC to take a call on the matter.

The petitioner,Pasha, who also happens to be an advocate himself, requested, “on account of unprecedented heat wave prevailing in several parts of the country and the onset of Ramzan’’ the next three phases of the polling needs to be advanced.

The Ramzan began during the fifth phase of polling, on 6 May. The next two phases are on 12 May and 19 May.

Pasha, in his petition, said that, during Ramzan, the Muslims wake up early in the morning for ‘sehri’ meal and sleep after the ‘fajr’ prayers and avoid going outdoors in the heat to avoid thirst, dehydration and getting heatstroke.