Kerala chief minister V S Achuthanandan on Wednesday termed as 'unjustified' the election commission's directive banning the implementation of the state government scheme to provide rice at Rs 2 per kg to 40 lakh families.

Addressing reporters here, Achuthanandan said he had already written to the election commission registering the state government's protest against the directive.

He said the decision to extend the scheme to APL families was taken at the cabinet meeting on February 23 and the government order in this regard came out on February 25.

"There is no justification in arguing that the code of conduct for assembly poll which came into effect on March 1 is applicable to the cabinet decision," he said.

After the announcement of polls in five states, union railway minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday announced in Parliament that girl students would be given free passes in trains, he said, and wondered wither the code of conduct was not applicable to the Centre.

The chief minister alleged that the pressure from a major political party in the state was behind the EC decision to deprive rice at Rs 2 per kg to poor families.

To a question on CPI-M delaying the decision on whether to field him again to lead the LDF in the coming assembly polls, Achuthanandan said "I hope those concerned will come out with a clear stand on the matter."