The Election Commission on Saturday asked Patna District Magistrate Gautam Goswami, who was planning to join the Sahara group, not to take leave as the process for the assembly polls in Bihar had begun.

"I will certaintly abide by the commission's directive and work till the process for the poll is completed," Goswami said reacting to the order.

Goswami had said on Friday that he had proceeded on leave for a brief period as his request to join the Sahara group was yet to be responded to by the state government.

"I am even in a mood to quit from Indian Administrative Service," he had said, adding he would go to Lucknow in the first week in January to hold discussions with the Sahara management.

Asked whether he decided to proceed on leave in the wake of the controversy over the alleged violation of the model code of conduct by the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal and the EC's tough stand on that, Goswami had replied in the negative.