The Election Commission (EC) officials on Saturday checked the helicopter of Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra's Amravati ahead of the state Assembly elections scheduled on November 20. In a separate incident, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's helicopter was also checked in Raigad by EC officials. Meanwhile, the bag of Sanjay Raut, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, was also checked in Nashik.
Earlier on Friday, bags of Union Home Minister Amit Shah were also checked by EC officials in Hingoli ahead of his poll rally. Reacting to it, Shah later said, "The Election Commission has been checking the bags of the leaders campaigning for the assembly elections. BJP believes in fair elections and a healthy election system and follows all the rules made by the Honourable Election Commission."
The EC officials have been checking the bags and helicopters of the leaders campaigning in Maharashtra, the move which the poll officials dubbed as to ensure a level playing field. On bag and chopper checkings, EC had said it followed SOPs to ensure level playing fields. The Election Commission on Tuesday clarified that planes and helicopters of political leaders, including BJP figures, are routinely inspected by election officials as per established business procedures.
The checking of helicopters became an issue of contention and political slugfest after bags of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray were checked on November 11. Back then, he had heated exchanges with the officials. Later, his bag was again checked in Latur. In over a week, similar checks were carried out on Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari, and other leaders.
