Toeing a line similar to Uttar Pradesh, the election commission has directed the city administration to cover the statue of former SAD MLA late Raminder Singh Bularia before the polls in Amritsar.

The move was initiated by the EC in wake of a complaint lodged by the Congress party.

The district administration here has carried out the orders as per EC directives.

In a sharp criticism of the Congress complaint, Bularia's son and SAD Candidate Amritsar South seat Inderbir Singh Bularia said, "the statue is a token of appreciation on the part of Punjab government for the development carried out by my father in the assembly segment".

Terming the move as an act of frustration by the Congress, he said, "there are many statues of martyrs and politicians in Punjab and someone should tell me that how many have been draped during the poll process".

The polling for the 117 assembly seats of Punjab is scheduled on January 30.