New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the central government and Election Commission seeking their responses over unreasonable freebies offered by political parties.
A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana issued the notices while hearing a PIL filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
The Chief Justice asked the petitioner’s counsel Vikas Singh as to why only two political parties were mentioned in the petition.
He also raised questions on mention of Punjab alone. Singh said irrational promises were being made by all political parties ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in five statesw scheduled between February 10 and March 7.
He said the public has to bear the burden of impracticable promises. Describing the petition as ‘important’, he sought notice to the Center and the poll panel and an early hearing, which was accepted by the apex court.
The bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli, said it would hear the matter after four weeks. Referring to promises being made by various political parties in the Punjab Assembly elections, the petitioner said “irrational promises of freebies from public funds have influenced the voters.
“Therefore, the Supreme Court should direct the Election Commission in this matter to confiscate the election symbols of the parties concerned and cancel their registration, he added. According to petitioner, these irrational promises violate Articles 14, 162, 266 (3) and 282 of the Constitution.
