Political parties stand united against restriction in announcing freebies
14 Aug 2013 5:08 AM IST
All political parties on Monday, barring the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), opposed restriction in announcing freebies in election manifestos, saying it was their prerogative. They expressed their views during the meeting convened by the Election Commission of India to seek their views on the issue of freebies and framing of guidelines in the light of the Supreme Court direction.
The Commission intends to formulate a clear policy on defining freebies announced by the political parties ahead of elections as it feels that offering of freebies by parties ahead of polls disturb the level-playing field and may vitiate the atmosphere. The Commission has studied practices adopted by various countries in this regard.
In the meeting on the issue, representatives of five national and 23 regional parties conveyed their stands on the issue. Sources said that barring the BSP, all major political parties opposed restriction of any kind in regulating election manifestos. Congress, BJP and Left parties opposed any moves in this regard, saying it is the right of parties to announce poll manifestos. The BSP supported ban on announcing freebies by parties ahead of polls, saying that it disturbs the level-playing field.
Among the regional parties, sources said, that only two – Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) and Mizo National Front (MNF) – favoured banning freebies and framing guidelines on it.
Earlier, EC had forwarded the copies of the apex court judgment to the political parties for their information and firming up of views. It had said that a meeting of all recognised national and state political parties will be held for consultations on implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.
Earlier the Supreme Court had said that distribution of freebies of any kind, undoubtedly, influences all people and it shakes the root of free and fair elections to a large degree. It had directed the Election Commission of India to frame guidelines for regulating contents of manifestos as early as possible owing to its utmost importance. The court had also recorded the need for a seperate legislation to be passed by the legislature in this regard for governing the political parties in our democratic society.
The apex court had said that though the election manifesto is published before the code of conduct comes into force, EC can make an exception by bringing it within code of conduct.
Lately, most of the political parties have been making freebie promises to the voters. Jayalalithaa promised a lot of items like grinders, mixies, electric fans, laptop computers, 4 gm. gold thalis, free green houses, free 20 kgs. rice to all ration card holders even to those above the poverty line and free cattle and sheep, while her predecessor DMK's M Karunanidhi had also distributed freebies like television sets. Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh has distributed free laptops to students after making it a promise before polls.
The Commission intends to formulate a clear policy on defining freebies announced by the political parties ahead of elections as it feels that offering of freebies by parties ahead of polls disturb the level-playing field and may vitiate the atmosphere. The Commission has studied practices adopted by various countries in this regard.
In the meeting on the issue, representatives of five national and 23 regional parties conveyed their stands on the issue. Sources said that barring the BSP, all major political parties opposed restriction of any kind in regulating election manifestos. Congress, BJP and Left parties opposed any moves in this regard, saying it is the right of parties to announce poll manifestos. The BSP supported ban on announcing freebies by parties ahead of polls, saying that it disturbs the level-playing field.
Among the regional parties, sources said, that only two – Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) and Mizo National Front (MNF) – favoured banning freebies and framing guidelines on it.
Earlier, EC had forwarded the copies of the apex court judgment to the political parties for their information and firming up of views. It had said that a meeting of all recognised national and state political parties will be held for consultations on implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.
Earlier the Supreme Court had said that distribution of freebies of any kind, undoubtedly, influences all people and it shakes the root of free and fair elections to a large degree. It had directed the Election Commission of India to frame guidelines for regulating contents of manifestos as early as possible owing to its utmost importance. The court had also recorded the need for a seperate legislation to be passed by the legislature in this regard for governing the political parties in our democratic society.
The apex court had said that though the election manifesto is published before the code of conduct comes into force, EC can make an exception by bringing it within code of conduct.
Lately, most of the political parties have been making freebie promises to the voters. Jayalalithaa promised a lot of items like grinders, mixies, electric fans, laptop computers, 4 gm. gold thalis, free green houses, free 20 kgs. rice to all ration card holders even to those above the poverty line and free cattle and sheep, while her predecessor DMK's M Karunanidhi had also distributed freebies like television sets. Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh has distributed free laptops to students after making it a promise before polls.
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