The central government threw its weight behind the beleaguered election commissioners, B B Tandon and N Gopalswamy, on Monday.

Reacting to the controversy over allegations by IAS officer L V Saptarishi that the Election Commission was being casteist in countermanding elections in Chhapra, Bihar, last year, Union law minister H R Bhardwaj said the EC's credibility cannot be questioned.

Bhardwaj said the IAS officer should not have made these allegations.

The allegations against two election commissioners rocked Parliament on Monday.

Rashtriya Janata Dal members pressed for an immediate debate leading to adjournment of the Lok Sabha shortly before lunch recess.

Supported by Congress workers in both Houses, RJD members raised the issue during Zero Hour waving a piece of paper purported to be the letter written by Saptarishi to Law Minister H R Bhardwaj.

They insisted on knowing what action the government had taken on the issue.

Even as Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee maintained that they would not allow the issue concerning Constitutional authorities to be raised without proper notice, the RJD members vociferously demanded that government should immediately respond to the letter.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday demanded the resignation of EC B B Tandon and N Gopalaswamy on the ground that the two had forced a re-election in Chapra assembly constituency under pressure from the then deputy prime minister, Lal Kishenchand Advani.

Also read:
Chapra order is above board, says CEC
Lalu seeks two ECs' resignation
EC issue: BJP questions official's motive