Lucknow: Amidst confusion and high drama, the Election Commission stayed the scrutiny process for the Rajya Sabha elections on the complaint of arms dealer, Suresh Nanda.

The Election Commission stayed the scrutiny process of the elections on a complaint by Nanda that there was a design by vested interests to get his nomination papers rejected and get deleted his name from the voters list, secretary to the Vidhan Sabha R P Pandey said.

Nanda, who was earlier allegedly roughed up by the legislators in the cabin of the secretary, also submitted in writing that he was withdrawing his nomination papers, Pandey said adding that the cognisance of the withdrawal of papers would be taken only after the Election Commission completed its inquiry.

Pandey said he was informed through the chief electoral officer of the state, Noor Mohammed that Election Commission has summoned the district officials of Ghaziabad as Nanda had complained that his name was being deleted from the voters list there.

To a query, Pandey said the withdrawal by Nanda had no relevance as of now till the election commission took a decision on his complaint. Moreover, the papers would first be scrutinised and then only would the question of withdrawal arise, he said.

Earlier, Nanda while submitting his withdrawal papers said as he was withdrawing from the fray hence there was no need to replying to the objections raised over his nomination papers.

PTI