New Delhi, April 20
The non-revision of petrol and diesel prices despite a spurt in the prices of crude oil has caught the fancy of the Election Commission with the poll body asking the Oil Ministry to explain if the fuel prices were being artificially kept below cost to further electoral prospects.
Public sector oil firms, which have not revised petrol and diesel prices since December 31, had reportedly asked for a nod for raising petrol price by Rs 3 per litre and diesel price by Rs 5 per litre to cover the $ 4 per barrel increase in crude oil prices.
The EC had, earlier this month, asked the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas to explain why it was not following its declared policy of non-interference in prices in a decontrolled regime.
