Election Commission again refuted the BJP's allegation that it was biased and said such charges against the poll body are not new. Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath also denied charges that the Commission favoured the Congress by allowing Rahul Gandhi to hold a roadshow at Beniabagh in Varanasi where Narendra Modi had been barred. He justified Varanasi district magistrate's decision to deny permission to Modi for the rally saying security perception relating to a leader is personality-specific.

Mr Sampath said the Commission looked at the decision of district authority and found that no wrong decision had been taken by them. He said there are no differences in the Commission and all decisions have been taken collectively and that Election Commissioner H S Brahma was part of the decision making process. Brahma had yesterday rued that decisions on permission to BJP for a rally in Varansai could have been taken promptly.

Earlier BJP leader Arun Jaitley criticised the poll body for allowing Rahul's roadshow in the city. He alleged that Modi's rally was not cancelled due to any security constraints but for political reasons.