Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked voters at a rally in Uttar Pradesh if the army would take permission from the Election Commission before killing terrorists.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came after two terrorists were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian in an encounter on Sunday morning. The encounter had taken place during a cordon and search operation in the area located in terror-hit south Kashmir. The election for Jammu and Kashmir's seven seats got over last week.

“They were standing in front (of the soldiers) with bombs and guns. Would my soldiers go to the Election Commission to ask for permission to shoot? Since I came to Kashmir, every second or third day, clean-ups take place. This is my clean-up operation,” PM Modi said while campaigning in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hindsitapur area of Shopian district in south Kashmir following a tip-off about the presence of terrorists. Weapons and other materials have been seized from the site of the encounter.

The issue of the Bharatiya Janata Party using the armed forces for political gains has been often raised by the Opposition. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP chief Amit Shah had faced criticism as well as the ire of the Election Commission for referring to the armed forces as "Modi-ji ka Sena".

Several retired officers of the armed forces had also objected, alleging politicisation of an institution that serves the nation.