The Election Commission Friday rejected the charge of bias in its recommendation to the President for disqualification of Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan saying it was "uncalled for".
On a petition for disqualification against another SP leader, Amar Singh, who heads the state development council, Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon told reporters that a notice would be sent to him soon seeking his opinion.
"This allegation is uncalled for. We dismiss it with the contempt it deserves," Tandon said when asked about the Samajwadi party criticism that the commission showed undue haste and bias in deciding on Bachchan. He said the commission's recommendation was before President A P J Abdul Kalam and it was upto him to take a decision. The commission had recommended Bachchan's disqualification on a petition by a Congressman Madanmohan Shukla that she has attracted disqualification because she held an office of profit as chairperson of Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council.
He said as per the Constitutional provisions Art 102 and 103 a petition has been made to the President, who has referred it to the commission for its opinion. "The commission has to act according to the provisions of the Constitution. The commission has to follow the legal and constitutional provisions and send the necessary opinion to the President and that process has started," he said.