EC not afraid of any political party: Sampath

"The Commission is not afraid of any entity or political party, " Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said while addressing a press conference.

"We are disappointed that a national party should embark on a protest against the EC," Sampath said urging the leaders of the parties to display greater maturity when referring to the EC.

He said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was denied to hold the rally due to security reasons.

"Political parties must understand that issues relating to permission for campaign purposes should be asked for with due notice. Over 3,000 public meetings have been permitted by the EC in these elections. Competent local authorities of Varanasi, for security reasons, were unable to give permission for Modi's public meeting in Benia Bagh. We are bound to go by professional advice from the local administration. It cannot be ignored," Sampath said.

Sampath also refuted the BJP's charges that there was a delay on part of the EC to grant permission for Modi's Ganga Aarti and meeting in Varanasi.

"The permissions were accorded within hours of the requests," he said.

He said the Commission remained zealous about maintaining its neutrality in conducting elections and asserted that it has followed neutrality and impartiality while discharging its functions.

Meanwhile, Modi arrived in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday and is on way to the party office here.

Earlier Uttar Pradesh in-charge Amit Shah on Thursday said Modi could not perform Ganga Aarti in Varanasi as he got the permission only eight hours before it was scheduled.

"'The EC has a provision that says that permission must give permission 48 hours before the event and we were given permission when we wrote to them saying that we do not have enough time to hold the event and hence we don't want the permission," Shah was quoted as saying by CNN-IBN.

The BJP workers also protested in the city against EC.

Modi, who is also fighting the polls from Varanasi, cancelled his Ganga Aarti plans in the holy town amid a raging controversy and BJP anger over denying him permission to hold a rally by authorities. Modi also took on the Election Commission questioning its neutrality.

"My profound apologies to Ganga Maa for not being able to perform Aarti today. Wish these people know that a Mother's love is above politics," tweeted Modi on Thursday morning though reports said the Election Commission later permitted him to hold the aarti.

"I appeal to my Karyakarta sisters & brothers to maintain peace & ensure that people do not face any difficulty," he posted.

"It is unfortunate that EC is not concerned about the institution's neutrality & that is why our Karyakartas have to embark on a Satyagraha," he said with BJP workers hitting the streets with a protest.

The EC said permission was given for two events of Modi but not a third one owing to security reasons. The EC said permission for the GangaAarti and a meeting at a hotel with 150 private citizens had been granted later by the District Magistrate

The BJP reacted sharply on the issue.

BJP senior leader Arun Jaitley  blogged: "I cannot conceal my disappointment with the Election Commission. Men in constitutional offices need to be bolder. Timid men can dwarf high offices. The Election Commission scrutinizes us all the time. They are extremely vigilant in tackling the side shows in the elections. They are concerned with what adjectives are used by whom. But when it comes to preventing booth capturing which has reappeared after a decade in elections 2014 they are out of their depth."

Modi's rally at Benia Bagh was cancelled as the local administration said the venue will not be able to handle a large crowd.

Modi was also denied Ganga Pujan (worshipping of river Ganga) at Benia Bagh but reports said he was later permitted to offer aarti.

He will now visit the local party office at Varanasi.

Polling in Varanasi will be held on May 12.