'Freebies issue 'serious', why can't Centre call for all-party meeting'
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said there must be a "debate" on the "serious" issue relating to the practice of political parties promising freebies and asked why cannot the Centre call for an all-party meeting on it.
The apex court said until and unless there is a unanimous decision among political parties that freebies are going to destroy the economy and have to be stopped, nothing can happen as it is only political parties that would make such promises and contest elections and not individuals.
"Why do not the Government of India call for an all-party meeting?" the top court said. "There must be a debate. The issue is serious, there is no doubt about it. The question is, why do not all political parties meet and the Government of India can call for a meeting," it observed.
The observations by a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Hima Kohli and C T Ravikumar came while it was deliberating on a plea opposing promises of such handouts by the parties during polls.
At the outset, senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for petitioner Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, suggested that a retired judge of the apex court like former CJI R M Lodha should be the chairman of the committee proposed to be constituted on this aspect.
However, Justice Ramana observed, "a person who retires or who is going to retire has no value in this country. That is the problem,"
Singh said ultimately, it is the personality and the position that one has held which makes the difference.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan said that he has filed an intervention on behalf of the NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation'.
Bhushan argued that they have said three kinds of freebies must be prohibited -- those which are discriminatory or which violate fundamental rights, those which are against public policy, and those which are rolled out immediately before the election, like in the last six months before the polls, by the ruling party.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said there are political parties, which may not be in power in the state or the Centre, and are rolling out such promises. "The focal point is would the voter have an atmosphere where he can take an informed decision. It is not a question of ruling or losing a party. Can you promise the moon to get elected?" Mehta said.
As the bench asked why the Government of India cannot call for an all-party meeting on the issue, Mehta said the political parties are already there before the apex court claiming that this is their right.
"There are some political parties who think it is their fundamental right to offer freebies and have come to power by only offering freebies," the solicitor general argued.
