The Election Commission of India on Friday deferred the counting in Mizoram to December 4, hours after influential NGOs and student bodies staged statewide protests against the counting on Sunday.

The ECI had fixed December 3 as the day of counting for all five states that went to the polls, including Mizoram. But the Church, NGOs and political parties wanted a change in the date on the ground that it was a Sunday.

In the Christian-majority Mizoram, most people are busy with Church-related activities on Sundays. The state went to the polls on November 7.

In a media statement issued on Friday night, the ECI said: “The Commission has received several representations from various quarters requesting for change in date of counting from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to some other week day, on the ground that 3rd December, 2023 being Sunday a special significance for the people of Mizoram.”

It further said: “The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting .... from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December, 2023 (Monday).”

Earlier in the day, the NGO Co-ordination Committee in Mizoram staged a two-hour protest across the state against the ECI.