New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday took strong exception to the Centre`s move to increase the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders ahead of the Gujarat elections and asked it to stop it forthwith.
The EC also sought an explanation from Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily by tomorrow morning for his announcement about raising the cap.
Taking suo moto cognizance of Moily`s announcement, the Commission held an emergency meeting soon after he said the government will raise the cap on supply of subsidised cooking gas (LPG) to nine cylinders per household a year from six at present.
The EC, at its meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, shot off two separate letters to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry and the Minister.
It directed the Ministry to immediately stop the move, which came just ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections and at a time when the Model Code of Conduct is in force there, and also sought Moily`s explanation on the issue.
The first phase of Gujarat poll is on December 13 and the second and final phase on December 17.
With the Model Code of Conduct in operation, the Commission in its letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said it "directs that the move for the reported increase in supply of subsidised gas cylinders, if any, must be stopped forthwith under confirmation to the Commission."
"The Commission has taken strong exception to your aforesaid announcement when the first phase of polling in the state of Gujarat is only two days away. The Commission has desired that you explain you’re above action at this juncture," the EC said in its letter to Moily.
The poll body asked for the Minister`s explanation by 11 am tomorrow.
The EC letter to Moily came in the wake of media reports
quoting him as saying that the supply of subsidised cylinders to each household is being raised by the central government from the present level of six to nine cylinders a year.
The poll body said the election process to legislative assemblies in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh is on and the Model Code of Conduct is in operation in the two states.
Government had in September capped the supply of subsidised LPG to six cylinders per household in a year. Any additional requirement is to be bought at market price of Rs 931 per 14.2-kg bottle. Subsidised LPG costs Rs 410.50 per cylinder at present.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.