By IANS
Shimla : The Election Commission’s decision to hold Himachal Pradesh assembly polls about three months earlier will cause a constitutional crisis, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh claimed Thursday.
“The state is definitely heading for a constitutional crisis as the constitution does not envisage two Vidhan Sabhas (assemblies),” Singh told reporters here.
The chief minister was responding to queries from reporters about the current assembly that has not been dissolved by the governor, leading to a situation where two houses could exist at the same time after the poll results are declared on Dec 28.
Last week the Election Commission announced assembly polls in the state in two stages, Nov 14 and Dec 19.
“Since this house hasn’t been dissolved we hold a constitutional right to exist till March 9 and may even consider holding a winter session of the Vidhan Sabha,” Singh warned.
“The decision to hold polls was taken without consulting the state government. And the unkindest cut was that the decision was taken while I was outside the country holding talks with World Bank officials in Washington to help tide over the state’s debt crisis,” he said.
Singh said that due to the Election Commission’s sudden decision, it would not be possible to launch many developmental programmes.
His remarks came a day after Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswamy rejected the Congress’ demand for postponing the election dates.
“Polls will take place as announced,” Gopalaswamy said here Wednesday.
Asked about the possibility of existence of two assemblies at the same time, Gopalaswamy said there were such precedents.