Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has prohibited the usage of mobile phones during official meetings from Saturday. The decision was taken keeping in view certain security issues and distraction.

"The Chief Minister wants all ministers should focus on issues that are discussed in the cabinet meetings. They should not get distracted by their mobile phones. Some ministers have been busy reading messages on WhatsApp during the meetings," mid-day quoted a senior official in the chief minister's secretariat.

The ministers were, earlier, allowed to carry mobile phones but were asked to keep them on silent mode. They would be asked to deposit their mobile phones and would get coupons which could be exchanged later.

CMO was skeptical of misuse of technology in views of hacking and espionage threats.