EC seeks report on Soren copter 'grounding'

The Election Commission is investigating an alleged delay in Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's flight plans due to a no-fly zone established for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rallies. Soren's helicopter was reportedly grounded for 90 minutes, which the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) claims violated Election Commission guidelines regarding the duration and radius of no-fly zones during the election period.

Election Commission on Tuesday asked Ranchi's Birsa Munda airport to file a report on the alleged grounding of chief minister Hemant Soren's chopper for 90 minutes due to a no-fly zone created for PM Modi on Monday, reports Dhritiman Ray. Modi was in Garhwa and Chaibasa for two election rallies, while Hemant canvassed for JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI-ML-L candidates in Chaibasa's Gudri, roughly 80 km from Modi's rally site. Hemant was due to fly out to Simdega when his chopper was allegedly not allowed to take off for about 90 minutes.

JMM said the airport flouted EC manuals. "During model code of conduct , the no-fly zone exists only for a 50-km radius and that too for 15 minutes," JMM said. Jharkhand CEO K Ravi Kumar's office said, "The Birsa Munda airport director, RR Maurya, has been asked to submit a status report on the issue by Wednesday morning.

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