Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday has rejected BSP’s plea for reconsideration of its order on covering statues of UP Chief Minister Mayawati and BSP’s poll symbol, the elephant.
The poll authority also said it saw "no reason or justification" to reconsider its order to cover statues of Mayawati and the elephant symbol of the BSP built at government cost in poll-bound UP.
The EC, in a statement, said while it took all views about its working in its stride, it was "disturbed" that the UP Chief Minister had cast serious aspersions on the Commission's order by attributing anti-Dalit and casteist motives to it.
The Election Commission has also rejected her "aspersions" that the directive was "anti-Dalit" and "casteist".
"Commission regrets that such an allegation was made and rejects the allegation," the EC said in a statement.
Coming down on Mayawati, the poll authority said it expected a higher sense of responsibility and Constitutional decorum from major political parties and their leaders.
"It notes with concern such statements coming from those holding senior Constitutional positions," the EC said.
"She is a senior leader. What can I say? She should think before making such comments," Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi told reporters when asked for comments on the issue.
The Election Commission on January 07 had ordered to drape the statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and Bahujan Samaj Party poll symbol, the elephant dotted across the state till the assembly elections are over.
With PTI inputs
First Published: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 19:19