The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party had ruled Uttar Pradesh from 2007 to 2012.

The CBI has registered a preliminary inquiry against unidentified Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) personnel for allegedly granting favours to close relatives of "public servants" in an examination meant to select additional private secretaries under the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rule in 2010, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying on Thursday.

Public servants - in this context - mean elected representatives who have taken oath of office, officials said. They, however, refused to elaborate on the matter.

The action was taken on the basis of a complaint filed by the Yogi Adityanath government with the centre. According to it, certain unidentified people - including UPPSC officials - were found guilty of gross misconduct during the examination held for 250 additional private secretary-level positions in 2010. It is alleged that they granted favours to underserving candidates, some of whom did not even fulfil minimum eligibility, officials said.

According to PTI, the complaint alleges that some of the candidates selected were "close relatives" of public servants then serving the Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Mayawati. Certain UPPSC officials altered their marks with the help of examiners to ensure their selection, it claims.

"These are allegations in the complaint from the state government. We have registered a preliminary inquiry," PTI quoted a CBI official as saying.

The agency's move became public on a day when the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and BSP sealed a seat-sharing agreement in Uttar Pradesh, so they could pose a formidable challenge to the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary polls. While the BSP got 38 of the state's 80 seats, the Samajwadi Party laid claim to 37 - leaving Amethi and Rae Bareli untouched for the Congress. The remaining three seats are expected to go to Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal.

(With inputs from PTI)