Chandigarh, December 31
The Election Commission of India (EC) seems to have lost its teeth at least when it comes to Haryana.

The Haryana Government is continuing to defy its instructions on new appointments. State Chief Secretary Sunil Ahuja, on the directions of the EC, on December 24 had directed all departments not to make fresh appointments after the Code of Conduct came into force on December 17, but withdrew the instructions within two days.

After the EC reiterated its instructions on December 27, Mr Ahuja merely forwarded these to various departments for information. There was no mention either about necessary action on these or their compliance.

Similarly, the EC had prohibited the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) and the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) not to declare the results of interviews already conducted by it.

Even today the EC reiterated these instructions. However, the HPSC seems to be caring little for the EC directives. It today declared the result of the Haryana Civil Services and allied services examination conducted by it earlier.

It is not for the first time that the state government has defied the EC.

During the last Lok Sabha elections, the EC asked the government to take action against a Traffic Manager of the Haryana Roadways, Mr Devi Lal Sihag, for allegedly speaking from the dais at a political rally organised by the ruling Indian National Lok Dal.