Cong wants CEC consider UP's ''poor'' law and order

Lucknow, July 28 (UNI) In the backdrop of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalswamy interacting with Uttar Pradesh government officials today, Congress asked the Election Commission to consider the ''poor law and order situation'' ahead of the 2007 state assembly elections.

UP Congress president Salman Khurshid said here, while representatives from UPCC had so far not been invited by the CEC to place their views on various issues pertaining to the 2007 polls, he wanted the electoral authority to keep in mind the poor state of law and order in the state.

Referring to yesterday's incident when a Samajwadi Party legislator allegedly manhandled Ferozabad SSP, he said, ''How will the state government hold free and fair elections, if ruling party legislators manhandle police officials?'' Meanwhile, he claimed the AICC was constantly ''in touch'' with the EC on several issues.

Mr Khurshid said there was no serious problem in UP regarding electoral rolls, but he did want the EC to introduce smart election I-cards instead of the present ''outdated'' ones.

''If smart cards have been introduced by banks to withdraw money, why cannot such system be introduced by the EC at a little extra cost,'' he argued.

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