Stop LPG cap hike move: EC asks Centre ahead of Guj polls

. Dec 12: The

(EC) on Tuesday objected to the Centre's decision to raise the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders from 6 to 9 in view of the

kicking off on Thursday. The model code of conduct is already in force and it was viewed that the Centre's decision to increase the cap was violating the poll code.

The EC, in a letter written to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the move for reported increase in supply of subsidised LPG cylinders must be stopped immediately. The poll commission has also sought an explanation from Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily for making such announcement by Wednesday evening.

Earlier, Moily said that the Cabinet would take the decision on increasing the cap on LPG from 6 to 9 shortly. He said he already had a discussion with Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on the matter and sought only Rs 30,000 crore as against over Rs 55,000 crore to cover losses incurred on sale of fuel in the first half of the current fiscal. He was confident that the finance ministry would meet the demand.

When asked if the Centre would wait for the Gujarat polls to get over before implementing its decision to hike cap on LPG, Moily said there was no such possibility for such decision would not affect state elections. He said the states would be excluded from implementing the decision.

The EC, however, was not convinced.

OneIndia News