The Election Commission says that it has implemented strict checks on Maharashtra political leaders’ aircraft and helicopters to ensure fairness in upcoming polls. The explanation came after Uddhav Thackeray’s bags were checked for the second time.

However, sources in the Election Commission earlier clarified that enforcement agencies are strictly following Standard Operating Procedures for a level playing field.

A video of the incident has been doing the rounds on social media. In the video, CM Shinde was seen engaging with the election officials as they checked the helicopter and scanned his belongings.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's bag checked by officials in Palghar amid row over Uddhav Thackeray accusations. This is a breaking news story. Details will be added soo