New Delhi, Mar 23 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has termed as ''unprecedented'' the Election Commission''s request not to nominate Varun Gandhi as the party''s candidate in the Pilibhit constitutency for the upcoming polls due to his controversial remarks.

"The advice of the Election Commission is ''unprecedented''. Directing any political party to choose their candidate because there is a criminal case against them, if we take that as a precedent and the basis for fielding the candidates, then there were many ministers within Manmohan Singh''s Government who were involved in serious crimes and had cases pending against them in courts," said Balbir Punj, a spokesperson of the party.

Punj said, BJP will decide on Varun''s nomination once the Election Commission announced its decision.

"As soon as the decision of the Election Commission is announced, the party will discuss the matter seriously at the highest level and act accordingly," Punj said.

Chief Election Commission N. Gopalaswami and Election Commissioners Naveen Chawla and SY Quraishi rejected Varun Gandhi''s claim that the CD''s containing his recent hate speeches were doctored.

The EC directed the BJP not to field him as candidate in the elections.

Varun is embroiled in a controversy for his remarks during a rally in Pilibhit, from where he was expected to file nomination.

As his party gears up for an election in April and May, the allegations could damage the BJP. (ANI)