New Delhi: Taking exception to Uttar Pradesh officials giving oral orders to officers on poll duty, the Election Commission Wednesday asked the state government to refrain from such acts as it may jeopardise the poll process.

It has come to the notice of the Commission that some senior officers in the State Secretariat, other than Election Department, are issuing oral/telephonic instructions to the election-related officers posted in the state/district which may be at variance with the instructions of the Commission, the EC said.

In a strong letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, the EC said issuing instructions to any officials designated on election duty was "unwarranted" and may "jeopardise" the election process and "in many cases create confusion in field machinery for elections".

Taking serious note of the situation, the Commission has directed that the district officers may be asked to comply with only those written orders which are in consonance with the instructions of the Commission.

"The officers of the state secretariat may be told not to issue any oral/telephonic or otherwise instructions regarding election management to the state/district authorities which are outside their jurisdiction," the EC said.

The Commission pointed out that the Representation of Peoples' Act states that officers of the state government engaged in poll duty shall be deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission from the date of the notification of the polls till the declaration of results.

PTI