CEC says no rift within commission

NEW DELHI: Under attack over handling the high-profile Varanasi constituency, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday rejected any differences at the top as sought to be suggested by EC HS Brahma and dismissed the BJP charge that it was timid and weak in taking decisions.

The Commission also rejected any bias in allowing roadshow by Rahul Gandhi and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav but denying permission for Narendra Modi to address a public meeting in his constituency from a venue of BJP’s choice on Wednesday in a communally sensitive area.

In an interview to PTI, chief election commissioner VS Sampath pointed out that Brahma is also party to all the decisions and any attack on the Commission applied to all of them. He strongly defended the decision of the Returning Officer of Varanasi and ruled out his removal from the constituency which will witness polling on Monday.

He dismissed allegations of partisan approach in quickly ordering filing a complaint against Modi in Gandhinagar while seeking a report in case of Rahul Gandhi for alleged violation of voting secrecy in Amethi.