CHENNAI : A PIL petition has been filed in the Madras High Court challenging the manifesto of the AIADMK, in so far as it announced payment of Rs 1,500 to families living below the poverty line. A division bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, before which the petition from one V P Amavasai came up on Wednesday, adjourned it by a day.
Petitioner contended that the announcement covering persons below BPL, destitute women and widows is contrary to public policy and impossible to implement. It is in violation of the model code of conduct, especially when the financial position of the government is not sound. There is a whopping financial debt to the tune of Rs 3.50 lakh crore. The government had scrapped providing scholarships to students for the past two years due to paucity of funds.
As per Part VII of the model code of conduct, the manifesto should not contain anything repugnant to ideals and principles enshrined in the Constitution and it should be consonant with the letter and spirit of other provisions of the code of conduct. In this connection, he sent a representation to Election Commission and State Election Commissioner on March 20, but there was no response. Hence, the present petition, petitioner said.