Monday, September 5 2005 17:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) yesterday (Sept 4, 2005) took strong exception to the Bihar government 'hurriedly issuing' notification of appointment of new members to SC, ST and Minority Commissions hours before the model code of conduct came into force and demanded cancellation of appointments by Election Commission (EC).

Issuance of notification by Governor Buta Singh appointing new members to Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), the Backward Class Commission (BCS) and the 15-point implementation committee on Sept 3, 2005 just after the poll dates were announced was in 'bad taste' and hence the poll body should cancel the notification, senior NDA leader and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief whip in the assembly Navin Sinha told sources.

"The appointments appears to have been made to appease the minorities and the backwards in favour of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)", he said.

He also demanded EC punish the officials involved in the process of appointing the new members to various bodies.

According to the notification, Laxmi Devi, Om Prakash Rai and Sudama Rai have been appointed as BPSC memebers while the personal secretary of Rabri Devi, Ghulam Tahir, figures in the list of Backward Class Commission.

When contacted, state personnel secretary Ravi Kant justified the appointments and said the notifications were issued before the model code of conduct came into action.