BJP asks EC to remove biased poll officials in UP

Accusing that some poll officials were trying to influence the Uttar Pradesh electoral process in favour of the ruling BSP, BJP today made a fresh demand that the Election Commission should immediately remove them.

"The BJP had been repeatedly saying that some officers posted in the secretariat were trying to influence the polls and had petitioned the EC to identify them," party spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.

Referring to a letter sent on Tuesday by EC's principal secretary R K Srivastava to the state chief secretary asking him to ensure that no telephonic or oral orders are issued by field officers, he said, "Some officials are trying to influence the poll process in favour of ruling BSP and this is evident from the letter written by the EC to the state government."

The BJP spokesman said after taking cognisance on the issue, the commission now should directly get into the act and remove the officials involved, rather than shooting off letters as polling was slated to start in next couple of days.

"The party will again write a letter to the EC in this regard and demand removal of these officials," Pathak said.