NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to list on Thursday a batch of PILs (public interest litigations) against the practice of political parties promising freebies to voters during elections. One of the pleas was filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who sought a direction to the Election Commission of India to deregister political parties involved in distributing freebies from public funds during elections and seize their symbols.
The lawyer on Wednesday requested the three-judge bench, led by the Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, an early listing and hearing into the case. “This is important. We will take this onboard tomorrow,” the CJI said after hearing it. The plea said that if political parties try to gain undue favours in lieu of such measures, they should be banned.
“These freebies violate the Constitution. The Election Commission should take suitable deterrent measures against the concerned political parties and leaders involved in these activities,” the plea said. Earlier, the court had, in one of its hearings, observed that the issue of freebies promised by political parties during election campaigns requires extensive debate, and referred the case to a three-judge bench. The plea had claimed that political parties arbitrarily promising freebies for wrongful gain to their leaders and to lure voters is analogous to bribery and undue influences.
‘Need extensive debate’
Earlier, the Supreme Court had, in one of its hearings, observed that the issue of freebies promised by political parties during election campaigns requires extensive debate, and referred the case to a three-judge bench.