Election Commission suspends 4 railway officials for issuing train tickets with Modi picture

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday suspended four railway officials who were found guilty of violating the poll panel's guidelines by issuing train tickets carrying a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoting a scheme of his government. The EC also pulled up the DRM of North Railways over the violation of Model Code of Conduct.

After reports of the railways distributing train ticket in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki carrying the image of Modi, the Election Commission had ordered additional district magistrate to probe the matter. During the investigation, it was found out that the tickets with Modi image were being distributed for the last 10 days, even as the Model Code of Conduct was in place.

"We went to the railway station for investigation in the matter and it was learnt that on Sunday, tickets were issued to people that carried picture of the Prime Minister. We were told that it was used by mistake. The railway authorities were prompt in taking action...," News18 quoted ADM Sandeep Kumar Gupta as saying.

Gupta said that the railway offcials were told that tickets rolls carrying prime minister's image were not to be used after March 21. However, the Model Code of Conduct came into effect on March 10 and they continued printing tickets on the same rolls.

This wasn't the first such incident and the railways had to bear the brunt of EC when tea on Shatabdi Express was served in cups with the images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After EC rebuke, the vendor who had the contract of tea distribution to the passengers withdrew the cups.