Debate on 'Freebies' Necessary for Welfare of Country: Supreme Court

CJI NV Ramana questioned if the. Centre outlawed states from giving freebies, will it be open to judicial scrutiny.

The Supreme Court of India. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, 23 August noted that a debate on the issue of freebies is necessary, and that the bench is hearing the matter for the 'welfare of the country.'

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana questioned if the Union government outlawed states from meting out freebies, will it be open to judicial scrutiny, news agency ANI reported.

Further, as per a report by Moneycontrol, the apex court termed the issue as 'complex' and held that there was a need to draw a distinction between welfare schemes and other pre-poll promises.

The apex court made these remarks while hearing a plea filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which challenged the "freebie culture," and urged the SC to direct concerned authorities to regulate such actions of political parties.

"The question is what constitutes right promises. Can we describe the promise of free education as a freebie? Can free drinking water, minimum essential units of power etc. be described as freebies? Can consumer products and free electronics, be described as welfare?" the bench headed by CJI NV Ramana, and constituting Justices JK Maheshwari and Hima Kohli had stated last week.

Earlier, the SC had asked the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) to adopt guidelines to regulate the "serious issue" of "freebies." The panel of the EC, however, responded to the apex court saying it cannot regulate the "freebie culture," as there was no law that empowers it to do so.