Moily to EC: Will inform before announcing any decision on LPG

New Delhi: A day after Election Commission rap, Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily today said the government has not yet taken any decision on raising cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders and the EC would have been informed before announcing any decision.

“If the proposals had been concertised and it was to be announced or decision was to be taken… I would have definitely written to Election Commission of India,” Moily told reporters here.

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Moily said the government had consistently maintained that the decision to cap supply of subsidised cooking gas (LPG) to six cylinders per household in a year is under review following widespread demands and he had reiterated the same position in reply to media queries on sidelines of a CII function here yesterday.

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“Not that I would like to do anything for political gain behind the back of Election Commission. That is not our intention. We are very clear about it. We are very transparent and objective about it,” he said. Election Commission had taken a strong exception to Moily’s statements ahead of the elections in Gujarat, that the cap would be increased to nine cylinders, and sought his explanation.

In his formal response, Moily said: “The Government is yet to take a decision in the matter. As such my response to media queries… should not be treated as an announcement regarding decision of the government.” “I would like to assure you that due regard to the applicable rules and procedures of the Election Commission of India shall be given as and when a decision in this regard is taken by the government,” he wrote.

Talking to reporters, Moily said there have been widespread demands including from about 100 Congress MPs, several chief ministers and union ministers, for revisiting the decision as only six cylinders per household was “not practical and away from reality”.

“Concerns had to be addressed today or tomorrow. But at the same time, I am conscious that I would not have done anything without writing to the Election Commission of India,” he added.

PTI