Remark on EC was in accordance with JDU's interest: Pavan Varma

Janata Dal (United) spokesperson and general secretary Pavan Varma on Tuesday defended his statement against the Election Commission (EC), saying that the remark was completely in accordance with the party's established opinion.

Varma's response came a day after JD (U) distanced itself from the former's remarks, asking the Election Commission to give credible answers for not announcing the Gujarat election dates.

"The statement in my view is completely in accordance with JD (U)'s established opinions that institutions like the Election Commission have to work with impartiality," Varma told ANI.

He said democracy of a country is all about institutions and if the institutions are weaken, democracy will be weaken.

"My tweet was in nature of a query, I wanted answer as to why that was done," he added.

On Monday, Varma in a tweet, urged the Election Commission to be impartial.

"EC must not only be impartial but seen to be so. Why have the dates for Gujarat elections not been announced? We need credible answers (sic)," he tweeted.

Hours after Varma's tweet, the party distanced itself from the remarks and said it has full faith in the poll panel.

JDU's chief spokesperson and secretary general KC Tyagi asserted that Varma was not authorised to make such a statement and had expressed his personal views.

The Election Commission on October 12, announced the dates of the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, but it did not announce the dates for assembly elections in Gujarat, making it clear that it will be held on December 18.

The Gujarat assembly's term ends on January 22, 2018.