Supreme Court News: In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, the Central Government and the Election Commission of India have been made respondents. It has been said in the petition that doing so by political parties is tantamount to wooing voters. Along with de-recognition of the parties doing so, their election symbol should be confiscated.
New Delhi: A plea has been made to the Supreme Court for de-recognition of political parties that distribute free gifts or promise to give free gifts to woo voters ahead of elections. The petitioner has contended that the matter of political parties promising or giving gifts to voters before elections out of government funds affects free and fair elections.
The Central Government and the Election Commission of India were made defendants
Petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay has filed an application in the Supreme Court, making the Central Government and the Election Commission of India as the respondents and filing the application has been said that the promise of giving free gifts or distributing free gifts from public funds to woo the voters before the elections. It is against free and fair elections and it is an attempt to influence and woo the voters. This pollutes the election process. The petitioner said that this affects the principle of equal opportunity in the field of elections. The petitioner said that giving and promising free gifts by political parties is an attempt to woo the voters and it is a kind of bribe.
Political parties promise free-free-free
The petitioner said that recently the Shiromani Akali Dal has promised in this episode that it will give Rs 2,000 per month to women above the age of 18 years, while the Aam Aadmi Party has promised to give Rs 1000 per month. Congress has promised to give 2 thousand rupees per month to women as well as 8 cylinders in a year to the housewife. It has also been said that 10 thousand rupees will be given to the 12th pass girl and 10 thousand rupees will be given to the girl going to college and the girl going to college will be given scooty. Whereas in UP, Congress has promised that it will give smart phones to the girls studying in 12th and scooty to the girls going to college. SP has promised that women will be given a pension of Rs 15,000 and every family will be given 300 units of electricity per month.
Request to admit offense under Section-171 B and C
The petitioner appealed to the Supreme Court that free gifts and distribution should be treated as a violation of Article 14. It should be declared a bribe and an offense under Section 171 B and C of the IPC. The Election Commission should be directed to set a condition for political parties not to do so. Along with this, the Election Commission should be instructed that the symbols of political parties who do so should be seized and their recognition should be cancelled. The Central Government should be directed to make laws to regulate political parties.