"Burden On Taxpayers": Supreme Court Issues Notice To MP, Rajasthan Govts On Plea Alleging Freebies Ahead Of Polls

The Supreme Court on Friday (6 October) sought a response from the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on a PIL alleging distribution of freebies to voters ahead of assembly polls in both states, The Hindu reported.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also issued notices to the Centre, the Election Commission and the Reserve Bank of India on the PIL, which also alleged that taxpayers' monies are misused by the two state governments to lure voters.

“There can be nothing more atrocious than the government distributing cash before the polls. This is happening every time and the burden is on the taxpayers ultimately,” the lawyer representing the petitioner said.

“Issue notice. Returnable in four weeks,” the bench said.

The court took note of the PIL filed by Bhattulal Jain and ordered that it be tagged with a pending plea on the issue. Jain's plea demands hat directives should be issued to prevent the misuse of the consolidated fund or the allocation of public funds on the brink of elections.

The plea contended that pre-election promises and the distribution of freebies by political parties to entice voters were tantamount to squandering taxpayers' money and constituted bribery and undue influence.

The petitioner claimed that items such as tablets were being distributed "six months" before elections, and despite being labeled as in the public interest, this practice was depleting the resources of states already burdened with substantial debt.

Chandrachud took note of the matter, acknowledging the prevalence of promises made before elections and expressing the court's inability to control such practices, according to India Today.

Notably, assembly polls in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are anticipated to take place in November of this year.