UP Officer To Be Suspended After Akhilesh Yadav's "EVM Chori" Video: Sources

Action has been ordered against a senior administration official of Varanasi in the row over voting machines that erupted in Uttar Pradesh yesterday.  Sources said the Election Commission of India has ordered action over the alleged violation of rules in transportation of training EVMs. The Chief Election Officer of Uttar Pradesh has been asked to take action against the official, Varanasi Additional District Magistrate, after the city commissioner admitted to lapses. NK Singh will be placed under suspension, sources said.

After a truck carrying voting machines was intercepted by party workers in Varanasi yesterday, the Samajwadi Party had accused the government of "theft". Today, his party had tweeted a video of the official conceding there were "lapses".

Speaking to reporters last evening, Varanasi's Commissioner Deepak Agarwal said: "If you talk about the protocol for the movement of EVMs, there was a lapse in the protocol, I accept that. But I can guarantee you, it is impossible to take away machines used in voting".