New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that the issues raised at the time of hearing a petition against freebies promised by polities in run-up to the polls is getting “increasingly complicated,” and whether access to free education, drinking, electricity can be termed freebies? Chief Justice NV Ramana, who was heading the bench which was hearing the case, orally observed that the court cannot prevent political parties from making promises. He, however, said that the question is “what constitutes right promises?”
Other members of the bench Justices JK Maheshwari and Hima Kohli said, “Can we describe the promise of free education as a freebie? Can free drinking water, units of powers etc, be described as freebies?” The bench added, “Some say money is wasted; some say it is welfare. The issue is getting increasingly complicated.” The court asked the parties involved in the case to give their opinions. The court may take a decision after a debate and discussion on the matter. Aside from that, the bench referred to the example of schemes like MNREGA. The top court made the observation at the time of hearing a plea by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay. In his petition, he sought directions to the Centre and the Election Commission to regulate poll manifestos of political parties.
