Supreme Court Suggests Forming Expert Body To Regulate Freebies In Polls
NDTV
The Supreme Court said there is a need for an apex body, consisting of NITI Aayog, Finance Commission, ruling and opposition parties, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and other stakeholders to make suggestions on how to control freebies by political parties.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that political parties promising to distribute freebies during election campaigns is a "serious economic issue" and said there is a need for a body to examine the issue.
A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli said there is a need for an apex body, consisting of NITI Aayog, Finance Commission, ruling and opposition parties, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and other stakeholders to make suggestions on how to control freebies by political parties.
"All stakeholders who want the freebies and who are opposing it, including RBI, NITI Aayog, opposition parties have to be involved in this process of making some constructive suggestion," the bench said.
It asked the Centre, Election Commission, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, and the petitioners to submit their suggestions within seven days on the composition of an expert body that will examine how to regulate freebies and give a report to it.
