Election dates and their intricacies
The poll dates were finally announced and we all heaved a sigh of relief. But did you ever wonder why these particular dates and not earlier or later dates were picked up?
Well, it is actually the weather which decides the dates. The vastness of the country means that different parts of the country have different degrees of weather - too cold in the north and too hot in the south; too much rains in North East and scanty rains in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Thus summer is chosen as the most preferred month. And then there are the farmers. Thus the Election Commissioner arrived at the date by taking into account the onset of the hot summer, when temperatures reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the arrival of the monsoon when torrential rains can block roads and make moving around outside nearly impossible. The country’s large population dependent on agriculture and the timing of the harvest has also be taken into consideration. In Naxal hit areas, before setting the dates, the election commission had to look at the lunar cycles too! And we thought putting out election dates was such an easy task!
The official weather bureau, IMD has stated that between 7th April and 16th May, India will have a bit of everything – pre-monsoon weather will mean hot weather and thunderstorms. Schools and colleges would be shut for summer holidays. Surely the politicians would wish for only good electoral winds and wish they had an official body like the IMD to consult!