Monday, May 9 2005 08:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Arun Jaitley yesterday (May 8, 2005) said senior officer L V Saptharishi, who had accused two Election Commissioners of putting pressure for countermanding Lok Sabha polls in Bihar's sensitive Chapra constituency, was acting out of "desperation of retirement blues".

"Haven't you heard of the fact there is something known as retirement blues, which can lead officers into a state of desperation?" Jaitley said referring the charge made by Saptharishi that Election Commissioners B B Tandon and N Gopalaswamy had worked for countermanding sensitive Chapra Lok Sabha election in Bihar under pressure of the then Home Minister L K Advani.

Asked about the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) in which he had commended Saptharishi, was leaked to the media, Jaitley said, "Has it ever happened that the Government starts leaking out ACRs of officers? These are confidential reports based on then assessments."

Terming the whole episode as a "disgrace to democracy," he said, "I think what is happening (on the part of) the concerned officer, the Government, Railway Minister and the silence of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is nothing more, nothing less, just disgraceful in democracy."