Disqualify candidates luring voters with freebies: PIL in Supreme Court

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, March 2

As the Assembly elections in five states reach the crescendo, a PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking disqualification of Congress and SP candidates in Uttar Pradesh and those of Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab for allegedly luring voters by offering freebies from the public exchequer.

Petitioner Surjit Singh Yadav, Hindu Sena Vice President, also sought a direction to the Election Commission and the Centre to register FIRs against Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP and AAP.

“Therefore, the corrupt practices adopted by the registered political party through making an offer/promise to the voters/electors of freebies at the cost of public money, will certainly fall within the definition of bribery,” the petition stated.

Yadav’s counsel Barun Kumar Sinha on Wednesday mentioned it before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana which said it would hear the matter on March 3. “What will courts do, stop elections? Election bribing is taking place everywhere. We know that. It’s not for a particular state. You have to prove before a court of law,” the CJI told Sinha.