India, Sept. 26 -- With questions raised about reported fissures in the Election Commission of India (ECI), some NDA leaders, including the Telugu Desam Party, Lokjanshakti Party and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, have now come out asking the poll body to dispel the misgivings. The allies said a clarification was needed to assure people about the institution's integrity. "Problematic if people begin to doubt the electoral process," says Chirag Paswan; clarification "will only help strengthen public confidence," says TDP. Their remarks mark a departure from the position taken by several BJP-led NDA constituents.

Amid controversy, sources in the poll body said the Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners "unanimously" approved the...