Tuesday, March 28 2006 16:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: The Election Commission has told theJharkhand unit of the UPA that it will not meet any person or side while examining the status of 19 MLAs over the office of profit issue referred to it by the state Governor as the matter was 'quasi-judicial.'

"When JMM chief and Union Minister Shibu Soren sent a letter to the commission seeking an appointment, the commission replied yesterday that since the matter has become quasi-judicial, it should not meet any person or side," CPI (ML-liberation), leader Vinod Singh told sources.

Denying that the refusal was a snub to the UPA delegation, the left legislator said "We accept and respect the commission's reply".

The commission is in the process of scrutinising the status of 19 MLAs 13 from NDA, including Chief Minister Arjun Munda and six from the UPA after Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi sought its opinion.