The Election Commission is acting in a partisan manner, according to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

"Bihar and Jharkhand have witnessed the most communal campaign but the Election Commission is conspicuously silent," says an editorial in the latest issue of RSS mouthpiece Organiser. "Remember what hullabaloo it made during the Maharashtra and Gujarat elections?"

It says the panel let off Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad after a "mild warning" for violating the election code of conduct by "openly" distributing money to voters.

"That the Election Commission wears selective glasses to see the political parties is clear from the manner in which it is handling Bihar."

Referring to Lalu Prasad "unfailingly raising, twisting and using the U C Bannerjee Committee report on the Godhra incident to mislead voters" despite the EC directive, it says, "The commission has not yet restrained him strongly enough."

"By appearing to be partial in its approach, it is eroding the overwhelming respect the institution commands among the public," it adds.