Supreme Court issues notices to Centre and ECI over election freebies

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday issued notices to the Union Government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) in response to a petition advocating for the classification of pre-election freebies promised by political parties as an act of bribery. The petition, brought forth by Bengaluru resident Shashank J. Sreedhara and argued by advocate Srinivasan, calls for regulatory measures to curb the trend of political parties making unrestrained promises during campaigns.

The bench, consisting of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra, sought official responses from the Centre and the ECI, tagging the plea with other ongoing cases addressing similar concerns. The court highlighted the petition's argument that the unchecked promise of freebies places a substantial financial burden on the public exchequer without any concrete mechanism to ensure accountability or the actual fulfillment of these commitments.

The issue of election freebies has been a contentious one, with ongoing debates about their impact on voters and fiscal discipline. Previously, the Supreme Court agreed to hear multiple appeals challenging the practice, prompted by a plea from senior advocate Vijay Hansaria on behalf of PIL petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, who emphasized the need for urgent judicial scrutiny on the matter. The court's latest action reflects a broader judicial push to address potential electoral malpractice linked to unregulated campaign promises.

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