New Delhi
Ahead of the upcoming local body elections, a Shiv Sena delegation on Tuesday met with officials from the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi, urging them to link voter lists with Aadhaar numbers to ensure fair and transparent elections. The delegation included Industries Minister Uday Samant, Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai, MP Milind Deora, and former MP Rahul Shewale.
During the meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, the Shiv Sena leaders also raised concerns about the presence of Bangladeshi nationals in voter lists, particularly in metropolitan areas like Mumbai. They called for a thorough review and removal of any such names to maintain the integrity of the electoral rolls.
Minister Samant appreciated the ECI’s ongoing consultations with national and regional parties, calling it a positive step. He added that the Shiv Sena delegation met the Commission under the guidance of party leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The party also expressed strong support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) initiative. MP Shrikant Shinde earlier said that ONOE would cut down election costs and prevent policy disruptions due to frequent polls. He argued that simultaneous elections could bring political stability, improve governance, and help the nation focus on development goals.
Meanwhile, Minister Samant dismissed media reports claiming that their visit was linked to the ongoing Supreme Court case concerning the party’s bow and arrow symbol.
