• It's this idea of bringing in neutral forces within your own country.

That's a sad thing. That's one issue on which I certainly feel I'm not happy. I hope a day will come when we don't need any forces.

• But this has now become a set practice.

Yes, it's a demand made in every state, every Opposition party says this. I would say we need to, at least, the politicians need to, think why this is happening.

• And what do you feel happy about?

Well, generally the election was considered free and fair. Everybody appreciated the arrangements. That is something we feel happy about. In fact, at the beginning of the elections, in Lucknow, I was quizzed: 'Are you quite sure you will, even in Uttar Pradesh, conduct a free and fair poll?' I said, 'Yes, we will.' I think in one of the channels, one of the correspondents said that nobody believed, except the Election Commission, that there can be a free and fair poll in UP.

• What was the biggest challenge that came up? And don't just talk of Uttar Pradesh. Talk of UP, Bihar, and Punjab in between. But I think this is one area where Punjab is still less wild than the rest.

The problem, both in Bihar and UP, which is to a considerably extent lesser in Punjab and in other places, is the criminalisation. A large number of people with criminal antecedents fight elections. Then, the huge numbers involved in the polls -- the numbers of voters, the number of polling stations. But alright, all that we can manage. But the criminalisation meant we had to be extra vigilant. We had to make special arrangements. I would say we covered to an extent, but not necessarily all.

... contd.