Dharamshala, Nov. 28 -- Amid growing criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the delay in panchayat polls, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that polls will be held in the state as soon as the Disaster Management Act is lifted.

On the second day of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly's winter session, Sukhu, while responding to the adjournment motion moved by the Opposition, said that "we have postponed the Panchayat elections for some time due to the Disaster Act, not deferred them."

BJP MLA Randhir Sharma on Wednesday had moved an adjournment motion under Rule 67, seeking a discussion on the delay in Panchayat polls, which was accepted by the Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.

During th...