The bureaucrats, three of the 18 IAS officers deputed by the Election Commission of India for Mumbai's six parliamentary constituencies, allegedly went on a rampage on Wednesday night, hurled expletives at the guesthouse staff who ``failed to meet their demands'', threw up all over the premises, tore up the expensive upholstery and wrecked a carpet by deliberately turning on a tap. The IDBI, whose guesthouse is among others requisitioned for the elections, has since lodged a complaint with the District Election Officer, Debashish Chakravarty, for the damage estimated at over Rs 1 lakh.

The Election Commission of India deputesthree central observers for supervision of the election process in each parliamentary constituency: two for general purposes and one to monitor expenditure incurred by candidates. The three erring bureaucrats were deputed to oversee the elections in the Mumbai North-Central constituency.

Chakravarty told Express Newsline: ``The IDBI officials have brought the damage to the notice of the state Election Commission. The IDBI's contention is that the organisation will have to spend a substantial sum to repair the guesthouse. Apparently, one of the three rooms requisitioned for the Election Commission officials has been damaged.''

Following the IDBI's complaint, senior state election officials visited the guesthouse to survey the damage. And if they couldn't find the pride of the bureaucrats amid the shambles, they did find the upholstry and the carpet substantially damaged, according to a senior official of the state Election Commission. The state Election Commission will prepare a comprehensivereport, which will be forwarded to both the state Chief Electoral Officer D K Sankaran as well as the Election Commission of India. ``As far as action against the bureaucrats is concerned, it is for the Election Commission of India to decide as they have been deputed by it,'' the official says.

Sankaran says he has not yet received any report either from Chakravarty, who is also the collector of Mumbai, or the IDBI. ``Even if I receive a report, it is beyond my powers to take cognisance of it. However, I shall forward the same to the Election Commission of India,'' he adds.

Meanwhile, Sankaran has withdrawn the airconditioned cars provided to the central observers. ``Ever since their arrival in the city, we had provided them airconditioned cars. However, now on the instructions of the Election Commission, the facility has been withdrawn. The commission has stated that the observers are not entitled to airconditioned vehicles,'' the official adds. IDBI Chairperson GP Gupta, however, denies that theguesthouse was ransacked. ``The tap must have been left by mistake. There is no problem from the observers,'' he told Express Newsline.