Enforcement agencies follow strict SOPs to ensure level playing field: EC sources on check of Uddhav Thackeray’s bag | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday responded to allegations of selective frisking by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, saying enforcement agencies were following strict SOPs to ensure a level playing field for all parties. “Planes and helicopters of top leaders across the political spectrum are being checked as part of the standard operating procedure (SOP),” sources in the Election Commission said, according to news agency PTI.
“Strict SOPs have been 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, were monitored in Bhagalpur district in April. 24 and Shah in Katihar district on April 21 were also checked as per SOP,” the sources pointed out.
The sources also recalled Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar’s statement while announcing that the elections were underway elections for the municipal council that directions have been issued to the enforcement agencies to ensure that the helicopters of all leaders are monitored with a view to ensuring a level playing field.
Uddhav had on Monday claimed that his bag was inspected by the election authorities when he arrived in Yavatmal in Maharashtra to campaign for the November 20 assembly elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had posted on X a video that Thackeray had recorded while poll officials checked his bags upon his arrival in Yavatmal.
In the video, Thackeray can be heard asking officials whether they have similarly inspected the bags of another senior leader or whether they want to check the bags of Prime Minister Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah.

Thackeray narrated this experience at 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 checking them. Thackeray said he was not angry with the election authorities, but added: “You follow your responsibility and I will fulfill my responsibility.”
“The way you inspected my bag, you also inspected Modi and Shah’s bags?” he asked, adding, “Shouldn’t the bags of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis be checked?” “All these useless things are happening. I don’t consider it democratic. This cannot 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), the workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the opposition MVA will check them.
(With input from the agency)