Sunday, May 8 2005 12:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Amid serious allegation made by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Laloo Prasad against the Election Commission (EC) for countermanding polls in Chapra last year (2004), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) today (May 8, 2005) came in strong defence of the EC saying it had conducted the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Bihar efficiently and impartially.

EC is a constitutional body. LJP is of the opinion that the EC had conducted both the Lok Sabha and Bihar Assembly polls in an efficient and impartial manner, LJP president and Union minister Ramvilas Paswan, whose party had fought the Parliamentary election in alliance with the RJD and the Congress, said in Patna.

The EC had curbed malpractices during both the polls in the State by efficiently deploying para-military forces, he said praising the Commission for conduct of polls in the State.

LJP has great respect for the EC, which is a constitutional body, and has no doubt on its impartiality, Paswan said.

Avoiding a direct reply on RJD chief Laloo Prasad levelling charges against the EC for countermanding Lok Sabha poll in Chapra last year, the LJP president said that it had been trend among political parties and individuals to criticise EC whenever any decision goes against them.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had spitted venom against the then Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh, whom it had alleged being against it because of being Christian.

Paswan said that efforts should be made to further strengthen the EC so that it could conduct polls in a more free and fair manner.