NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) Monday said its decision to order covering of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's statues and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) poll symbol, the elephant, was not politically motivated.
"It is unfortunate... and the decision was not politically motivated. There was no question of the election body working in pro-Dalit or anti-Dalit manner," Election Commissioner H.S. Brahma told CNN-IBN channel, to a query about Mayawati's angry reaction to the decision.
He said the poll panel would issue a formal denial to Mayawati's charges.
Mayawati Sunday lashed out at the poll panel, saying the decision was a reflection of the government's "casteist" mindset.
The poll panel had ordered that statues of Mayawati and the elephant be covered till the staggered elections -- from Feb 8 to March 3 -- to the 403-member assembly are over.