State EC to be responsible for fair polls: Jaiswal

Allahabad, Oct 23 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal today said it is the responsibility of the state election commission to hold free and fair polls.

Talking to newpersons here Mr Jaiswal said it was the responsbility of the state election commission to hold free and fair elections of the local bodies in Uttar Pradesh.

Replying to a question Mr Jaiswal said, ''If state election commission requests, we would provide central reserve force during the election.'' He said seeing the past experiences of the government, the state election commission should make arrangements for free and fair elections and provide such an atmosphere during the election and polling period that the people are able to cast their votes without any pressure and fear.

Stating that election commissions were above party politics, Mr Jaiswal said allegations and counter allegations against them were wrong.

Asked if he was satisfied with the work of the state election commission, he said, ''Let us wait for the completion of the elections, anything could be said after election.'' On the alleged involvement of Pakistan in terrorists activities in India, the minister said, ''We have collected enough evidence which is sufficient in itself''.

''We are still collecting more proofs and after collecting we would put them before Pakistan and the international forum,'' he added.

Referring to the non-uniformity in the reports of various agencies working on this issue, Mr Jaiswal said it was not necessary that there should be uniformity.

Claiming that the naxalite activities in the country have reduced to half, the Union Minister said, '' We have not said that we have fully controlled naxalites activities. However, all the naxalites affected states are following the guidelines of the Union government and providing full cooperation. Following this we have been able to reduce the naxalites activities to 50 per cent.'' ''Andhra Pradesh was the most affected naxalite state of the country but there has been a considerable fall in the violent activities of the naxalites,'' he said adding that there had been no imrpovement in the naxalite activities in Chhattisgarh. However, he expressed hope that the state would soon be able to control naxalite menace.

On the controversy surrounding Mohammad Afzal's death sentence, Mr Jaiswal said those who were doing politics on the issue were wrong as it was the matter between the Supreme Court and President of India.

He also asserted the performance of his party in the local bodies elections would be better.

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