SASARAM, Nov. 14 -- Returning officer of Chenari (SC) constituency in Rohtas district Lalit Bhushan Ranjan was removed by the Election Commission with immediate effect on Thursday, after vote theft charge by Grand Alliance (GA) parties, said officials. Chief election officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal directed the district election officer-cum-DM Rohtas that Lalit Bhushan Ranjan, additional district magistrate, Rohtas and RO of Chenari constituency, is to be kept away from all election work, including counting of votes. Zafar Hasan, district land acquisition officer, Rohtas, had been made returning officer, the CEO directed. Earlier, a commotion had erupted late Wednesday evening on the Bazar Samiti Sasaram campus, the counting centre for all seven assembly seats in Rohtas district around 8pm, as Grand Alliance (GA) supporters spotted a truck in the counting complex, loaded with tin boxes, and objected to its entry, said party candidates. Officials said, district magistrate (DM) Udita Singh and SP Raushan Kumar arrived at the scene. All the boxes were opened before the candidates and their supporters and they were found empty. Congress MLA from Kargahar, Santosh Kumar Mishra termed it an effort of 'vote chori' and demanded action against the officials who sent and allowed the truck's entry on the campus against Election Commission (EC) guidelines. He filed a complaint with the general observer. The RJD also registered a complaint with EC alleging therein the CCTV was off when the truck entered for vote theft intention. They warned of agitation if action was not taken against those responsible. The DM-cum-district election officer Udita Singh had then issued a show cause notice to ADM Lalit Bhushan Ranjan, asking him to explain immediately why a report should not be sent to the EC for action against him under the relevant provisions of Representation of the People Act. The letter said, "As per the Election Commission's directive, no one except a person authorised by the ECI... will be permitted to enter the premises. In such a situation, the rationale for sending a truck loaded with steel boxes from the Chenari Assembly Constituency dispatch centre, located in Shivsagar block, is unclear. You are aware that the polled EVMs are stored at the Market Committee, Takia, Sasaram. In such a situation, sending steel boxes raises doubts in the minds of candidates about the transparency and integrity of the election, which is contrary to the basic spirit of the Election Commission of India". The DM, in a press conference on Thursday, said the truck was bearing empty boxes to store the EVM machines of Chenari (SC) constituency after counting of votes. It had been stopped at the gate by the security forces. The boxes were opened before candidates and their supporters and those were found empty. Rohtas ADM, also the RO of Chenari constituency, had also come in controversy on October 28 when the DM had formed a three-member inquiry committee after Ranjan had been allegedly caught "extending help" to a LJP(R) candidate in an audio clip, that had been made viral on social media. But the outcome of the probe was not made public....