BJP urges EC to remove UP Chief Secretary, police chief

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) The BJP on Monday urged the Election Commission to immediately remove the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, besides a few other officials, accusing them of "partisan" conduct.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met the Election Commission here and submitted a memorandum, alleging that Director General of Police (DGP) Javeed Ahmed was close to the ruling Samajwadi Party and hence "his continued presence as the DGP will seriously jeopardise the conduct of free and fair elections".

The memorandum also alleged that certain District Electoral Officers (DEOs) and Returning Officers were delaying or denying legitimate permissions to BJP candidates "under the influence of Chief Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar".

The party sought the transfer of the District Magistrates -- who are also the Electoral Officers of their districts -- of Rampur, Meerut and Firozbad for being "partisan".

The BJP demanded the lifting of the bar on the use of motorcycles for campaigning and called for deployment of only central forces in the state.

Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu also accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party of misusing the administration and its officers for manipulating the state polls.

Naidu and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were among those who met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi here.

The 403 assembly seats will witness seven-phase polling on February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 and March 4 and 8.

The counting of votes is scheduled for March 11.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)