Apex body needed to regulate freebies by political parties during elections, says Supreme Court

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

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