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
