In a letter to the Commission, the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan has assured the EC that it has stalled the implementation of the administrative changes it had announced including the upgradation of tehsils and the creation of a new administrative unit.

On September 15, the EC had written to the Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram directing them not to announce any financial sops or create any new administrative posts in view of the forthcoming assembly elections in these states on November 25.

A week later the Rajasthan government announced the creation of 9 nine new sub-tehsils, upgradation of two sub-tehsils to the tehsil level and the creation of one new sub-division.

Faced with the blatant disregard of the model codeof conduct, the EC had sought from the Rajasthan government a detailed report on these changes. It also directed the state so that these units not be ``made functional in the operational sense'' till the electoral process was over.

The States versus the Election Commission tussle has aggravated in recent weeks since the EC announced that the model code of conduct will go into effect with the notification of the election schedule.

The states have been claiming that they were elected for a five-year term and that the model code curbs their freedom to function. The EC's explanation to this contention is simply that the ruling parties cannot take advantage of their being in office to hand out sops just before the polls. In his letter dated October 6, the Rajasthan Chief Secretary said that the concerned authorities have been directed not to take any step for making these newly-announced administrative units functional.

Also, on the directions of the EC regarding drought relief, the Chief Secretary has alsoordered that the Collector would be the sanctioning authority instead of the Minister for the drought relief operation.