No scribes on PM’s flight — EC

NEW DELHI, Aug 18: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday rejected Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's plea to allow mediapersons to...

NEW DELHI, Aug 18: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday rejected Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s plea to allow mediapersons to travel with him on his special Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft during the poll campaign.

The Commission conveyed to the PMO that an exception has been made in case of the Prime Minister to travel in the special IAF aircraft during the election campaign due to security reasons.

The Prime Minister and his team of officials had been allowed to pay only the normal commercial flight rates chargeable by the Indian Airlines. This concession was given in view of representations by Vajapyee’s predecessors that they should not be made to pay crores of rupees for travelling in IAF planes as it was a security requirement.

The Commission accepted their plea. But after a marathon meeting of the EC on Tuesday, it decided that the Prime Minister should not take mediapersons with him on the official aircraft.

Vajpayee’s office had written to the EC a few days ago seeking permissionin this regard. However, K R Prasad, secretary to the EC, wrote to the PMO on Wednesday saying that the plea could not be accepted. It told the PMO that “one team of Doordarshan can accompany the Prime Minister in his official aircraft during his election campaign.”

The Prime Minister cannot take anybody with him in the aircraft except for officials attached with him, the letter stated.