An assistant returning officer was suspended on Saturday and a case registered against him after a large number of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips were found on the roadside in Bihar’s Samastipur district. The Election Commission swung into action after a purported video of it went viral on social media.

The Chief Electoral Officer’s office said the district magistrate has been directed to visit the spot and inquire into the matter. “As these are VVPAT slips of a mock poll, the integrity of the polling process remains uncompromised. The contesting candidates have also been informed by the DM. However, the ARO is being suspended for negligence and an FIR is being registered against him,” it said.