The Election Commission's (EC) main task is to carry out its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and clean elections and the focus should not be overtaken by other sideline issues, said DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

"The EC should not be allowed to deflect attention, whether through issues like Akujanji (I pledge) for candidates or letting NGOs contest in elections, from proper accounting in carrying out its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and clean elections," he said in a statement today.