The Election Commission on Thursday issued an order preventing body frisking of any passenger on disembarking at remote uncontrolled airports or helipads unless specific information was available about unauthorised arms or contraband goods being carried during election campaigns and rallies.
The poll panel issued this directive to be incorporated as the modified standard operating procedures (SOP) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, ahead of the assembly elections to five States of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, due later this year. The airport security has also been asked to instantly inform the Income Tax department on detection of cash exceeding Rs 10 lakh or bullion weighing 1 kg or more in the baggage of aircraft flying to or from any poll-bound State.
The instructions became necessary after BSP leader Mayawati was frisked by flying squad of EC as she arrived in Karnataka to address an election rally earlier this year. While all rules and procedures with regard to frisking and checking of persons and baggage would be enforced by the security agencies during the election process, the Commission made it clear that any unauthorised arms, contraband goods, cash exceeding Rs 50,000 belonging to any candidate or agent or party functionary shall be investigated and considered for seizure.
The law enforcement agencies, like CISF, state police and Income Tax Department have also been asked to develop internal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in such a way that the entire event right from detection till seizure or release at the airport is captured by close circuit TVs/video camera.