Apex body needed to regulate freebies by political parties during elections, says Supreme Court
The Court has also asked the Centre, the Election Commission, Kapil Sibal, and the petitioners to submit their recommendations on the makeup of an expert group that will explore how to control freebies and report to it within seven days
Supreme Court of India. ANI
New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that an apex body comprised of Niti Aayog, the Finance Commission, ruling and opposition parties, the RBI, and other stakeholders is required to offer recommendations on how to manage freebies given out by political parties during election campaigns.
The Court has also asked the Centre, the Election Commission, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, and the petitioners to submit their recommendations on the makeup of an expert group that will explore how to control freebies and report to it within seven days.
According to the Times of India, the bench was led by CJI NV Ramana, who stated that the panel is needed to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of freebies because they have a substantial impact on the economy. The proposed institution will investigate how to control freebies and report to the Centre, the Election Commission, and the Supreme Court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that mindless freebies would lead the country to an economic disaster.
Kapil Sibal stated that the matter should be discussed in the parliament and it will accordingly pass a law on this.
CJI Ramana replied to Sibal and said that no political party in the country would stand against freebies, as each party wants it. He also said that we must think about the taxpayers and the country’s economy.
According to the Bar and Bench, Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, whose petition was being heard, had also asked the court to direct the ECI to include a new condition in Sections 6A, 6B, and 6C of the Election Symbols Order 1968 mandating that "political parties shall not promise/distribute irrational freebies from the public fund before election."
The petition also asks the ECI to take electoral symbols and de-register political parties who promise/distribute irrational freebies using public funding.
In January this year, the Court issued a notice in the matter, stating that canvassing votes through freebies was a "serious issue."
With input from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
also read
Nupur Sharma case: To err is human, to rectify it is justice
There are numerous examples where the Supreme Court, in pursuit of safeguarding fundamental rights, called for including even the courts within the definition of State so that even its judgement can be challenged if seen to be violative of the fundamental rights
Supreme Court to hear pleas against Karnataka HC order refusing to lift ban on hijab
Several petitions have been filed in the apex court against the Karnataka High Court verdict holding that wearing of hijab is not a part of the essential religious practice, which can be protected under Article 25 of the Constitution
Tamil Nadu student death: SC refuses to entertain man's plea for including doctor of choice for daughter's postmortem
On 19 July, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana had refused to agree to the plea of a man that a doctor of his choice be permitted to be part of a team of experts ordered by the Madras High Court to conduct a fresh postmortem on her body