Garment exporters were supposed to send their shipments by September 27. However, due to disruption of manufacturing because of election activities they were unable to keep the deadline.

Speaking to The Financial Express, Delhi Exporters Association president SP Agarwal said that garment manufacturers had faced numerous problems on account of elections. A large number of workers had taken leave to go to their respective villages and towns to cast their votes. "This resulted in a shortage of manpower and delay in production."

A number of government officials were also on election duty and therefore export formalities could not be finished on time, Agarwal said.

As a result, thousands of garment exporters were not able to ship their goods on the due date.

"Our association had sent an urgent fax to the textile secretary apprising him of the problem," Agarwal said. Later, a delegation of DEA went and met the secretary to request him to extend the quota validity. "We are extremely happy that the secretary has responded sensitively to our problem and taken due action."

Agarwal said that the extension of the validity period of the quota would help around 10,000 exporters throughout the country. "Had the date not been extended we would have been in trouble as stocks worth crores of rupees would have gone waste. But now, with the extension of validity period, all our manufactured goods will reach our over-seas buyers."