NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday responded to allegations of selective frisking by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and said the enforcement agencies were following strict SOPs to ensure level-playing field for all parties. “Aircraft and helicopters of top leaders across political spectrum are checked as part of standard operating procedure (SOP),” said sources in the Election Commission, according to news agency PTI.
“There have been strict SOPs followed by enforcement agencies for a level playing field. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a similar issue was raised in Bihar and it was clarified that the helicopters of prominent leaders, including Nadda was checked in district Bhagalpur on April 24 and Shah in district Katihar on April 21 were also checked as per SOP,” the sources pointed out.
The sources also recalled the statement of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar during the announcement of ongoing assembly elections that directions have been given to the enforcement agencies to ensure checking of helicopters of all leaders for a level playing field.
Uddhav had on Monday claimed that his bag was inspected by election authorities when he arrived in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal to campaign for the November 20 assembly elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had posted on X a video Thackeray recorded while poll officials were checking his bags on his arrival in Yavatmal.
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In the video, Thackeray can be heard asking officials if they had similarly inspected the bags of any other senior leader or if they would check PM Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah‘s bags.
Thackeray recounted this experience while addressing a public meeting at Wani in Yavatmal for Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Derkar.
The Sena (UBT) chief said when he arrived in Wani by helicopter, several election officials inspected his bag. He asked his party workers and voters to also check the pockets and identity cards of the officials who check them. Thackeray said he was not miffed with the election authorities but added, “You are following your responsibility, and I will perform my responsibility.”
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“The way you inspected my bag, did you inspect the bags of Modi and Shah?” he asked and added: “Shouldn’t the bags of chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis be checked?” “All these useless things are going on. I don’t consider it democratic. This can’t be a democracy. In a democracy, no one is big or small,” Thackeray said.
He said if the election authorities do not inspect their bags (of senior leaders of the ruling alliance), then workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the opposition MVA will check them.
(With agency inputs)