New Delhi, Mar 9 (IANS): Amid reports of EVM mishandling, the Congress has said the allegations are serious and questioned whether the Election Commission has become an extended arm of the BJP.

Leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The reports of EVM mishandling are very serious."

He said the EC should respond to the allegations. "If EVMs are being found in Garbage trucks, what does that say about the state of our electoral democracy? Does the EC have any answers? Has it become an extended arm of the BJP govt?"

Akhilesh Yadav had alleged that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were moved illegally in Varanasi just 48 hours before the counting of votes of state elections. His party tweeted the on-camera statement of an official conceding there were 'lapses'.

Varanasi's Commissioner Deepak Agarwal appeared to accept that there was a lapse in protocol in the movement of EVMs. However, he insisted that the vote machines in question were only for training purposes.

"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," he said and explained that there were CCTV cameras, security guards and political party representatives at the counting centres.

"Political party workers can even sit outside the centres to keep an eye," the Commissioner added.