Lok Sabha poll-Ramzan controversy: Can't exclude entire month, says EC

New Delhi, May 11: Amid political uproar on elections during Ramzan, the Election Commission has said that the date of the main festival (Eif-ul-fitre) and the Fridays have been avoided for poll days.

"During Ramadan, polls are conducted as full month can not be excluded", EC said.

Senior party leader and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim said that the schedule was designed in a way that most of constituencies go to polls during the Ramadan so that Muslims cannot go out and exercise their franchise. The Ramadan begins on May 5 and will end on June 4.

"Since the Election Commission is a constitutional body, I don't want to comment much in to the matter. But they should have considered that people will suffer during Ramzan (in casting votes)," he said.

The Trinamool Congress banks heavily on the Muslim votes and the Mamata Banerjee government has already announced many measures to appease the Muslims.

As per the Election Commission schedule, West Bengal will go to polls in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. The state has 42 parliamentary seats. The results will be declared on May 23. Hakim said that Muslim people will face difficulties in exercising their right because poll dates are clashing with Ramadan.