Panaji, Jan 5 (IANS): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared as "null and void" over 400 jobs six Goa government departments recently awarded as the appointments violated the model code of conduct in the run-up to the March 3 state assembly polls.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer Narayan Navti Thursday said the decision covered all the government jobs which were offered Dec 24, immediately after the announcement of elections.

"Some 416 appointment orders which were given by six government departments post-Dec 24, when the election code of conduct came into force, have been declared null and void," Navti told IANS.

The official said action would be taken against the head of departments who signed the appointment letters in "clear violation" of the electoral code of conduct.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had complained against the illegal grant of jobs, following which the action was taken by the poll authorities.

The party now claims that hundreds of similar orders were issued by other government departments in violation of job recruitment procedures like mandatory medical examination, police verification, before the midnight of Dec 23, a day before the poll code of conduct came in force.

"All those jobs too are illegal. The ECI should act against them too," state BJP president Laxmikant Parsenkar said.