India's Election Commission has ruled out holding early elections in Gujarat state, the scene of widespread communal rioting in February this year.

Election campaigns evoking passions will only shatter the fragile peace

Indian Election Commission

The commission said polling could take place next January, but a final decision could only be made later this year.

"The wounds of the communal divide following the riots have not yet healed," it said in a statement.

Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh recently visited the state and strongly criticised local officials for playing down violence.

The Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, dissolved the state assembly in July, hoping to hold early polls.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which heads India's coalition government and is also in power in Gujarat, has said it was not unhappy with the commission's decision.

Concerns

The Election Commission said relief and rehabilitation work had been slow and there was a constant fear of a communal backlash among people in Gujarat.

"This has hampered the process of restoration of normalcy", it said in a 40-page order issued in Delhi.

In such an environment, election campaigns "evoking passions would only shatter the fragile peace".

The commission also cited problems with electoral rolls as another reason for deferring polls in the state.

Many Muslims are still waiting to be rehabilitated

"The electoral rolls in the state have become substantially defective in view of the large-scale displacement of electors in the wake of the communal riots and violence".

The commission also rejected suggestions that elections had to be held within six months of the date of last sitting of the dissolved assembly.

The BJP had been arguing that elections have to be held by October this year.

But the election commission said only it was empowered to decide when a free and fair election could be held.

BJP not 'unhappy'

The BJP said it was not unhappy with the decision.

Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said although his party favoured early polls, the BJP was confident of winning the elections in the state whenever they are held.

Analysts say the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party hopes to be returned to power in the state on a wave of Hindu support.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was heavily criticised for the failure of the authorities to stop attacks on the Muslim community.

Official estimates put the number of dead in the violence at 1,000 but independent groups say it is closer to 2,000.

The rioting was sparked by an attack on a train, in which 58 Hindu activists were killed.