New Delhi, Apr 21: The Election Commission on Tuesday turned down the request made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi for transfer of Pilibhit District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police.

“The Commission did not find any reason to transfer District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police,” Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters here.

The EC also rejected Varun’s appeal to appoint neutral observers in his constituency.

“The poll panel’s observers were always neutral,” Balakrishnan added.

On the security issue, Balakrishnan said that it was for the State Government to decide on the security requirement of a candidate and the EC did not quantify how much security a candidate should be provided.

On April 18, Varun Gandhi requested the EC to appoint neutral observers in order to prevent any sort of mischief by the Uttar Pradesh Government at the time of his filing the nomination on April 22.

“The entire episode will be under EC’s scrutiny,” he said in a letter to the EC.

Gandhi, who is in a two-week parole, also requested the EC for transfer of Pilibhit District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police.
(ANI)