Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) has demanded compulsory voting by all political parties in Presidential and Vice Presidential elections, condemning absenteeism as a sign of horse-trading or pressure from central agencies. The party specifically accused BRS and BJD of abstaining from the Vice Presidential election under such influence and called for derecognition of parties that repeatedly avoid participation or engage in unethical practices. In its editorial mouthpiece ‘Saamana,’ Shiv Sena urged the new Vice President CP Radhakrishnan to enact laws mandating voting and curbing horse-trading to uphold democratic integrity.

The recent Vice Presidential election saw CP Radhakrishnan (NDA) defeat B Sudharsan Reddy (Opposition) by 152 votes, with 767 out of 781 MPs voting. Shiv Sena alleged that some MPs were influenced through foreign trips to encourage cross-voting, raising questions about the Election Commission’s role in preventing such malpractice. The party reiterated its call for urgent electoral reforms to ensure transparency, integrity, and protection of democratic values in elections to constitutional posts.