The Supreme Court of India has decided to keep the pleas against political parties offering freebies during elections on its active list, emphasizing the significance of this issue. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, alongside Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, confirmed on Wednesday that the matter would not be removed from the court’s cause list, ensuring it remains a point of judicial review.
The discussion arose when lawyer and public interest litigation (PIL) petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay pointed out that the pleas were slated for consideration that day. Despite the bench being occupied with other part-heard matters, making it unlikely for the freebies issue to be addressed immediately, Upadhyay pressed for the pleas to be retained for future hearing.
Chief Justice Chandrachud acknowledged the importance of the issues raised by Upadhyay, who has also urged the Election Commission to take stringent actions against political parties that engage in such practices. The PIL calls for a total ban on what it describes as populist measures aimed at gaining undue political favor, which, according to the petitioner, undermines the Constitution and the electoral process.
The plea argues that the trend of promising irrational freebies from public funds before elections corrupts the spirit of democratic values and the fairness of the electoral process. Upadhyay’s petition frames these offers as akin to bribing voters, an act that he contends should be curtailed to uphold the integrity of democratic principles.
