The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday instructed the five poll-bound States to provide “adequate security cover” to star campaigners of political parties after Lok Sabha MP and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi was attacked on his way back to Delhi from campaigning in western Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.
In a letter to Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) of all States and Union Territories, the EC said it had “been brought to the Commission’s notice that the star campaigners in the ongoing general elections to the legislative assemblies of the five States have faced security issues”.
The EC’s letter said that star campaigners, who are nominated by parties and whose campaign expenses are not included in the respective candidate’s spending limit, were an “integral part of the election process”. The security of the star campaigners was “of utmost importance for ensuring free and fair elections”, the EC wrote.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the EC decided that star campaigners appointed by political parties would be given adequate security cover within the State during the polls. The EC said political parties would have to give the details of the star campaigner’s visit, including the route, to the CEO and district election officials. The EC added that the security arrangements would be monitored by a nodal officer at the State-level, and one at the district-level, who would be appointed by the State government.
Mr. Owaisi was returning to Delhi after campaigning in Meerut when two people fired at his vehicle near a toll plaza in Hapur. Mr. Owaisi on Friday said he had rejected the ‘Z’ category security given to him by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
