High profile contest: Special EC observer appointed for Varanasi

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday appointed senior IAS from Tamil Nadu cadre Praveen Kumar as special observer in Varanasi after the BJP accused the Varanasi district magistrate and returning officer Pranjal Yadav of having close links with the Samajwadi Party.

The BJP, on its part, rejected the EC’s argument that the party was not given permission to hold a rally in Varanasi due to security concerns and said the EC’s prompt action could have saved the situation from escalating.

Usually, special observers are only sent to sensitive constituencies. Meanwhile, election commissioner H.S. Brahma said that there was a “communication gap” between Varanasi RO and BJP over permission for the rally and delay in providing approval to Mr Modi’s programmes could have been avoided.

He also said that a Gujarat cop, who was part of the Advance Security Liasion team of Mr Modi, had “indicated” that the chosen ground for holding the rally was not a “desirable” place for the VIP to attend and would “not be possible” to hold a rally there as it was “highly congested”.