Saturday, December 25 2004 16:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Election Commission today (Dec 25, 2004) asked Patna's high profile District Magistrate Gautam Goswami, who is planning to take up a job with Sahara group, not to proceed on leave as the process for the Assembly polls in Bihar has already begun.

"The District Magistrate has been asked not to go on leave till the completion of the poll process," EC sources said in New Delhi.

Goswami had said yesterday (Dec 24, 2004) that he had proceeded on leave for a brief period as his request to join the Sahara Group was yet to be responded to by the state Government.

"I am even in a mood to quit from Indian Administrative Service," he had said adding that he would be going to Lucknow in the first week of January to hold discussion with Sahara management.

Asked whether he decided to proceed on leave in the wake of the controversy over alleged violation of model code of conduct by ruling RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and the Election Commission taking a tough stand on that, Goswami had replied in the negative.