Navin Chawla arrives in Guwahati on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, March 23: The Assam unit of the BJP today submitted a memorandum to election commissioner Navin Chawla, requesting him to reschedule the April 16 poll dates which are clashing with Bihu and Poila Baisakh.

Three constituencies in Assam — Silchar, Karimganj and Diphu — are slated to go to the polls on April 16. The BJP wants the election to be held on April 19.

Chawla is here on a three-day visit to the region to take stock of the election preparedness and take views of the political parties on the electioneering.

The BJP said in the memorandum that if the present date is adhered to, then a large number of government employees would be deprived of performing their socio-religious obligations. They have to report for poll duty at least a day before their deployment — on the day of Bihu.

The party said such a situation would violate the employees’ fundamental right of religious freedom. Bohag Bihu — or Rongali Bihu — is the biggest and all-encompassing festival of the state and in rural areas the festivities informally begin nearly a fortnight ahead of the actual date.

In their representation to the commissioner, all the political parties barring the Congress expressed apprehension about the conduct of free and fair elections in the state.

The Opposition parties also drew the attention of the commission towards chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s admission that he had recently visited Calcutta to collect funds from the tea companies for the party. Stating that Gogoi had misused his official position by raising funds for the party on an official tour, the parties demanded that the matter should be properly examined.

The AGP also expressed concern that the state government-owned Amtron was given the responsibility of maintaining the EVMs. The party demanded that all the EVMs to be used in the election should be rechecked in the presence of central election observers and representation of all political parties.

The AUDF expressed apprehension that the ruling party might tamper with the EVMs with the help of the state machinery.

The BJP asked the commission to issue instructions to all district authorities to give equal treatment to all political parties in providing government fields and grounds to hold public meetings.