Opposition parties have no authority to question Election Commission, says Modi in Gujarat

On his third visit to the poll-bound Gujarat within a month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday slammed the Opposition for questioning the Election Commission’s motives in delaying the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule for the state.

The PM was addressing a public meeting in Vadodara after inaugurating the first phase of a Rs 615 crore ferry service between Saurashtra’s Ghogha and Dahej in south Gujarat.

Modi said, “The Opposition parties have no authority to question the Election Commission over the announcement of the poll schedule,” in reference to the Opposition’s criticism, after the EC announced the poll schedule for Himachal Pradesh, breaking the precedent of announcing polls for Gujarat and HP together.

The poll schedule for the state was deferred to allow completion of rehabilitation work in the flood-hit northern region, the Commission has said in its defence.

In his speech, Modi also defended the central government’s policies concerning economic slowdown in the country due to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax and demonetisation. “After all reforms and hardcore decisions, the economy is on track and is going in the right direction,” Modi said, adding that “hard decisions regarding economic reforms will continue.”