Promise Of Pre-Poll Freebies "Corrupt Practice": Petitioners To Supreme Court

The petitions have sought direction to the Election Commission to invoke its powers to freeze the election symbols of parties promising such handouts and cancel their registration.

The promise of pre-election freebies by political parties is a corrupt practice and "bribe" under the Representation of the People Act which is a ground for declaring an election to be void, the Supreme Court was told on Wednesday.

A three-judge bench was deliberating on petitions, including the one filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, opposing promises of such handouts by the parties during polls. The petitions have sought direction to the Election Commission to invoke its powers to freeze the election symbols of these parties and cancel their registration.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that the 2013 judgement delivered by a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court in the matter of S Subramaniam Balaji vs The Government of Tamil Nadu and others required reconsideration.