Lyricist Javed Akhtar thinks the Election Commission should pay no heed to politicians debating the scheduling of elections during the month of Ramzan.

"I find this whole discussion about Ramzan and elections totally disgusting," he said.

"This is the kind of distorted and convoluted version of secularism that to me is repulsive, revolting and intolerable," Javed Akhtar said. "The EC shouldn’t consider it for a second."

India will hold Lok Sabha elections between April 11 and May 19, and Ramzan begins either or May 5 or 6 and lasts close to a month.

Leaders from two major opposition parties have taken exception to the schedule.

Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim -- who is Kolkata's mayor -- accused the central government of targeting West Bengal and trying to make sure Muslims could not vote in large numbers "due to fasting in the Ramzan month".

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amanatullah Khan said low polling among Muslims on May 12, the day when Delhi is sechuled to elect its MPs, would "directly benefit" the BJP.

12 Amanatullah Khan AAP (@KhanAmanatullah) March 10, 2019

But the BJP is accusing its rivals of deliberately triggering a row, and calls it a communal ploy to divide India before the polls.

One top Opposition leader, Asaduddin Owaisi, dismissed claims that Ramzan fasting would reduce poll percentage as "rubbish".

"Nothing of that sort will happen. I am confident that the spirituality of Muslims will increase during Ramzan. On the contrary, poll per cent will go up," the Hyderabad MP said on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission says an entire month can't be excluded from the schedule. It has pointed out that the dates of main festivals and Fridays are avoided for polling.

Inputs from PTI