In a clear breach of the provisions laid down for the storage and handling of EVMs by the Election Commission of India, six machines were recovered from a hotel in Muzaffarpur constituency, that too on the day of polling!
Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Kundan Kumar was the one to recover the EVMs. According to District Collector Alok Ranjan Ghosh, a reserve EVM was given to Sector Officer (sector 11) Awdesh Singh who expressed his desire to vote. He was also given two balloting units, one control unit and two VVPATs. According to Ghosh, Singh removed the EVMs near Anand Vivaah Mandap, which is not a government property.
Local RJD leaders have demanded strict action against the errant official and that all six EVMs be rejected. Singh has also been asked to file a reply.