Postponing SMC polls murder of democracy: BJP

Himachal Pradesh BJP today dubbed as "murder of democracy" the State Election Commission's decision to postpone Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) elections.
"The government is misusing the constitutional bodies to meet its ulterior motives and the decision of SEC to defer the SMC polls is a murder of democracy and unconstitutional," BJP leader and former chief minister PK Dhumal said.
Lashing out at the state election commissioner, Dhumal said, "The person who cannot maintain the dignity of the post held by him has no right to remain in office and said that he should resign immediately."
He said the Congress government was unnerved after the mammoth rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Shimla and sensing a humiliating defeat in the upcoming polls, the party was "running away from facing the people".

Former state BJP president and MLA Suresh Bharadwaj also attacked the government and the SEC for deferring the polls and demanded imposition of President's rule in the state.
"The failure of the government to hold the polls on time proved that there was a breakdown of the constitutional machinery and a fit case for imposing president's rule," he said.

Bharadwaj said the BJP would submit a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee through the Governor for dissolution of the state Assembly to pave the way for fresh polls in the state.
He claimed the Congress was scared of defeat in both the SMC and the assembly polls.

Later, BJP members held a demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner's office.