The Election Commission has cautioned Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar against misuse of official machinery for political purposes in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The action against Sarkar was taken at a meeting of the Election Commission chaired by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath in New Delhi, after discussing the issue and the chief minister's reply to the allegations against him. Sarkar was accused of giving an interview to a cable television channel on January 15 in his office in the Secretariat, where he made political comments praising his government and criticised the Opposition.