Extraordinary circumstances: Putting off polls not unusual in world

LAHORE: Several countries in the world had to delay or postpone elections when faced with extraordinary circumstances.

Though their election acts and the constitution clearly say the elections would be held on stipulated time, they were delayed or postponed in the face of natural disasters, internal and external problems, economic emergency or worsening health situation. In Turkiye, there is a likelihood of polls postponement due to widespread destruction caused by earthquake that struck the country.

Covid pandemic in more than 80 countries forced their governments to put off scheduled national, regional or local elections or referendum. These countries include Bolivia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Serbia and Iraq. According to research from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, at least 56 countries delayed national or regional elections due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In United States, according to foreign media, elections date was changed twice in its history. However, the Congress there has the power to change the date for polls. The states and territories that postponed their elections due to coronavirus are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wyoming, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Elections once called in India usually proceeds as per schedule. However, in some exceptional cases, the process can be postponed or even scrapped after its announcement under extraordinary circumstances. Under Section 153 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission (EC) can extend the time for completing an election. In 1991, the EC postponed parliamentary elections for three weeks after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination during his campaign in Tamil Nadu.

The Russian government delayed April 22 constitutional referendum vote, as well as all elections initially scheduled from April 5 to June 23. The decision affected about 94 electoral processes at the local and regional levels.

In Chile, the scheduled referendum was postponed by the government due to coronavirus. In Spain, the local governments of Galicia and the Basque Country pushed back their elections due to coronavirus concerns.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree postponing parliamentary elections. The decree said the decision was part of the government’s “preventive measures” to combat coronavirus.

Section 59 of the Canada Elections Act allows for an election to be postponed. Section 59 refers to “flood, fire or other disaster” which includes public health crises as reasons to postpone an election.