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Oppn hails EC`s decision on Gujarat
New Delhi, Aug 16: Opposition parties tonight hailed the Election Commission`s decision to consider holding Assembly polls in Gujarat only in November-December saying it has upheld constitutional norms of ensuring free and fair election while the BJP criticised it saying it was not in the interest of the state.
New Delhi, Aug 16: Opposition parties tonight hailed
the Election Commission's decision to consider holding
Assembly polls in Gujarat only in November-December saying it
has upheld constitutional norms of ensuring free and fair
election while the BJP criticised it saying it was not in the
interest of the state.
Describing it as a "historic decision", congress spokesman Anand Sharma said it was both a considered and a judicious one.
"It (Commission) has taken note of prevailing ground situation especially the atmosphere of fear and insecurity among minorities. The decision has vindicated congress stand that the situation was far from normal," he said.
"By deciding on holding elections at a later date, the election commission has upheld the essence of the constitutional norms on holding of free and fair polls," CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said.
The EC, he said, had also thwarted the "pressure brought on it by BJP in a planned manner".
But, the BJP criticised the commission's rejection of its demand for early polls in Gujarat saying it was not in the interest of the people of the state.
"There are no concrete reasons to postpone elections in Gujarat. It is not in the interests of the people and the state to postpone the polls," BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
Bureau Report
Describing it as a "historic decision", congress spokesman Anand Sharma said it was both a considered and a judicious one.
"It (Commission) has taken note of prevailing ground situation especially the atmosphere of fear and insecurity among minorities. The decision has vindicated congress stand that the situation was far from normal," he said.
"By deciding on holding elections at a later date, the election commission has upheld the essence of the constitutional norms on holding of free and fair polls," CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said.
The EC, he said, had also thwarted the "pressure brought on it by BJP in a planned manner".
But, the BJP criticised the commission's rejection of its demand for early polls in Gujarat saying it was not in the interest of the people of the state.
"There are no concrete reasons to postpone elections in Gujarat. It is not in the interests of the people and the state to postpone the polls," BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
Bureau Report