Supreme Court Takes Aim at Election Freebies Amid Allegations of Bribery

The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission of India on a plea that claims election freebies offered by political parties amount to bribery. The plea seeks to curb this practice, arguing that it imposes an undue financial burden on public funds.

The Supreme Court of India has issued notices to both the Centre and the Election Commission concerning a petition that challenges the legality of election freebies. The plea, filed by Karnataka resident Shashank J Shreedhara, calls for these promises to be officially recognized as bribes, which would constitute corrupt practices under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Represented by advocates Vishwaditya Sharma and Balaji Srinivasan, Shreedhara's petition outlines how unregulated promises of freebies create an unaccounted financial burden on the public exchequer and lack mechanisms for fulfillment, which can deceive the electorate. The petition asserts that such tactics disrupt free and fair elections by prioritizing immediate benefits over substantive policy discussions.

The petition further criticizes the Election Commission of India for not taking sufficient action to address the growing problem. It emphasizes that this unchecked practice undermines the electoral process, reducing it to a transactional exercise where votes are swayed by short-term incentives. The court has tagged this petition with other pending cases, seeking comprehensive redress on the matter.

(With inputs from agencies.)