The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to explain why women must obtain an endorsement from a local MP or MLA to access financial assistance under its flagship Lakshmi Yojana scheme. A division bench granted the administration ten days to file an affidavit explaining the specific objective behind requiring political recommendation letters for potential beneficiaries.
Judicial Concerns Over Access Barriers
During Monday’s hearing, a bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia cautioned that conditioning public welfare benefits on personal connections to elected representatives could render the program arbitrary. The bench noted that excluding even a single eligible individual simply because they lack access to a lawmaker would make the requirement unreasonable, adding that numerous alternative methods exist to verify recipient eligibility.
The order marks the second time in less than a week that the high court has sought clarity on the provision, following an initial inquiry issued on August 19.
Government Defense And State Precedents
Responding to the court’s queries, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Delhi government, stated that the state would formally submit its position. He informed the court that the upcoming filing would detail the cabinet’s internal reasoning for adopting the clause, as well as operational models utilized in comparable welfare schemes across other states.
Key Provisions Of Direct Benefit Scheme
Launched on August 1, the Lakshmi Yojana is a direct benefit transfer program designed to provide Rs 2,500 per month to qualified female residents of Delhi. To qualify, applicants must fulfill several requirements alongside securing a local lawmaker’s recommendation letter. These criteria include holding a continuous ten-year residency or domicile status in Delhi, having no more than three living children, and maintaining a clear record without criminal antecedents.
Legal Challenge Highlights Systematic Vulnerabilities
The judicial review stems from a public interest litigation filed jointly by former Congress municipal councillor Abhishek Dutt and sitting Aya Nagar ward councillor Vedpal Chaudhary. The petitioners are requesting the formal deletion of the endorsement mandate, asserting that the clause grants unrestricted discretion to political figures and converts a public entitlement into a tool for political patronage.
The petition further highlights procedural deficiencies, pointing out that the state has failed to establish standard operating procedures, administrative frameworks, or statutory guidelines to govern how lawmakers handle endorsement requests. According to the petitioners, the lack of defined procedures leaves applicants without clear status updates. Additionally, the requirement creates logistical and financial burdens for vulnerable women in informal settlements and marginalized colonies, where legislative offices are often distant and poorly served by public transit.
