For the first time in the recent past the annual Pandharpur fair is being held while the election code of conduct is in force.

Vitthal Rakhumai Temple Committee president Vivekand Maharaj Vaskar and his predecessor, former assembly speaker Balasaheb Bharade brushed aside the surmises over the issue stating that the code of conduct would not prevent the pooja.

The State-sponsored pooja at the Vitthal temple has been a tradition passed on through successive governments. The tradition had been suspended for a brief period in 1972-73 by then chief minister Vasantrao Naik following a stir by eminent thinker tarkateertha Laxmanshastri Joshi, rationalist A B Shah and activist Dr Baba Adhav. The poojas, however, resumed later.

According to Bharade it wasonly once after resumption of the pooja that the State was represented by the chief secretary.

The State Transport has made elaborate arrangements for the annual fair. Over 2,500 State Transport buses would be pressed into service in view of the railway administration suspending its services to Pandharpur owing to the ongoing track widening work, MSRTC regional manager A B Borade told media persons. Additional buses would ply to Pandharpur from Kurduwadi, the last railway terminus before the temple town, he said.

The Gajanan Maharaj's palakhi procession from Shegaon in Buldhana district reached Pandharpur on Thursday and was accorded a warm welcome by the people of the temple town.