Can't Control Parties' Freebies Promises, Poll Panel Tells Supreme Court

The poll panel was responding to a PIL by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking deregistration of political parties announcing freebies.

Any action to regulate promises by political parties to give out freebies if elected to power would be an overreach unless legal provisions are put in place, the Election Commission told the Supreme Court today.

The poll panel was responding to a Public Interest Litigation filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking deregistration of political parties announcing freebies.

"The EC cannot regulate state policies and decisions which may be taken by the winning party when they form the government. Such an action, without enabling provisions in the law, would be an overreach of powers," the Election Commission said in its affidavit, adding that giving out freebies is a "policy decision" by political parties.

"The court can prepare guidelines for the parties. Election commission cannot enforce it," he said.