Mizoram assembly polls: Counting of votes deferred by a day to Monday
New Delhi, Dec 1: The counting of votes in Mizoram will take place on December 4, a day after it was originally scheduled, the Election Commission said on Friday.
It said the decision was taken following representations from various quarters requesting for a change in the date of counting from December 3 on the ground that Sunday holds a special significance for the people of Mizoram, a Christian-majority state.
"The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December, 2023 (Monday)," it stated.
The counting was earlier scheduled for December 3, along with that in four other states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana - where assembly polls were held last month.
Polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly was held on November 7. More than 80 per cent of the over 8.57 lakh voters exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 174 candidates.
Members of the Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee held protests across the state on Friday seeking a change in the date of counting of votes.
The committee is an umbrella body of major civil society organisations and student bodies, including the influential Central Young Mizo Association and Mizo Zirlai Pawl.
Addressing a protest rally near the Raj Bhawan in Aizawl earlier in the day, NGOCC chairman Lalhmachhuana criticised the Election Commission for remaining silent on the issue so far despite repeated appeals by political parties, churches and NGOs to reschedule the counting date as it falls on a Sunday, a sacred day for Christians, who form the majority of the state's population.
The NGOCC had recently sent a delegation to Delhi and discussed the issue with poll panel officials, he said.
Earlier, the Election Commission changed the date of polling for the Rajasthan assembly elections from November 23 to November 25 following demands for a change given "large-scale" weddings in the state that day.
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Supreme Court takes suo motu notice of news over dog bite leading to rabies
New Delhi(PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of a media report of dog bite incident leading to rabies, saying it contained some "alarming and disturbing figures".
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan termed the news item published today in Delhi edition of English daily Times of India as "very disturbing and alarming".
The news report was about the death of a six-year-old girl, who was attacked by a rabid stray dog, in the national capital.
Taking cognisance of the news report, the bench said, "The news item contains some alarming and disturbing figures and facts."
It said every day, hundreds of dog bites were being reported in the city and on its outskirts, leading to rabies and ultimately, children and aged were falling prey to the dreadful disease.
"We take suo motu cognisance of this news item," the bench ordered.
It asked the apex court registry to register it as a suo motu petition in public interest.
"Let this order be placed along with the news report before the Chief Justice of India for appropriate orders," the bench said.
On July 15, while hearing a separate plea alleging harassment over feeding of community dogs in Noida, the apex court had asked the petitioner, "Why don't you feed them in your own house?"
The top court told the petitioner's counsel, "We should leave every lane, every road open for these large hearted people? There is all space for these animals, no space for humans. Why don't you feed them in your own house? Nobody is stopping you."
The observations came in a plea arising out of a March 2025 order of the Allahabad High Court.
The petitioner claimed harassment and said she was unable to feed community dogs in line with the Animal Birth Control Rules.
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