Poll panel chief refuses to respond to Azam Khan's allegation

Chief Election Commissioner V.S.Sampath Saturday declined to comment on the allegations by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan that the poll panel is biased towards the BJP as it allowed Amit Shah to go scot free while not lifting ban on his election meetings in Uttar Pradesh.

Sampath said that it is for Azam Khan to decide whether he wants relief or not, referring to the SP leader's refusal to apologise for his provocative speech at an election rally.

"The commission doesn't get into individual allegations where people are affected by decisions taken by the commission. We can't enter into public debate," the CEC said at a news conference here.

"You know by yourself a few days back what was the allegation made against the commission. These are the allegations people make from time to time. We don't get drawn into this," he said.

"The show cause issued by commission earlier and final orders or final communication given in this case are all self-contained communications," Sampath said referring to Azam Khan's case.

The UP minister Friday said he would move the Supreme Court against the poll panel's order barring him from campaigning in the state. He alleged that the Election Commission is biased against Muslims while allowing Amit Shah, the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign chief for the state, to roam around.

"The Election Commission has a misunderstanding that its arbitrary powers can't be challenged in any court," the SP leader said.

He along with Shah was banned by the poll panel on April 11 from campaigning in the state for allegedly making provocative speeches.

The Commission later lifted ban on Shah after he gave the assurance that he will be more careful.