4 railway officials suspended after tickets with Modi

Railways on Tuesday suspended four of its officers after tickets carrying photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were issued to passengers at Barabanki railway station in Uttar Pradesh.

The Lucknow divisional railway manager suspended a chief reservation supervisor, a commercial inspector and two reservation clerks, said railway officials here.

Though earlier the railways had written to all zones to withdraw the tickets which carried the PM photo with an advertisement, in Barabanki railway station, such tickets were issued to passengers, sources said.

As per the model code of conduct, party in power bared from using official machinery to help it in elections.

Earlier the Election Commission has pulled up the national transporter for issuing tickets which carries pictures of the prime minister. A portion of the back side of tickets always used for advertisement. The photograph was part of an Urban Development Ministry advertisement campaign.

The poll panel also pulled up railways for serving a tea to passengers in a cup with the slogan "main bhi chowkidar" written on them.