India News | Plea in SC Seeks FIR Against Political Parties for 'inducing' Voters by Offering Freebies

New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to register FIRs against political parties for allegedly inducing voters by offering freebies.

The plea filed by Hindu Sena vice president Surjit Singh Yadav said he was aggrieved by the offer and promises made by Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP and Aam Aadmi Party in the ongoing assembly election being held in five states.

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"Such an offer or promise by a political party, its leader, candidates set up in the elections, may be declared to be indulging in corrupt practices and bribery in terms of provisions of Section 123 (1)(b) of the Representations of People Act, 1951 and the candidates set up by such political parties may be declared disqualified from contesting the election in that state.

"This is important for free and fair voting of the candidates of elector choice. Further to maintain the purity of election process, corrupt practices adopted by the political parties, their agents, candidates and leader must be deprecated at the threshold," the plea through advocate Barun Kumar Sinha said.

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The petition contended that the Election Commission should be directed to evolve a mechanism at the time of filing nominations, declaration to the effect that their political parties on whose symbol, they are contesting election, have not made any offer and promise of freebies at the cost of public money, if they are voted to power.

"If such declarations by the candidates are found wrong, such candidates must be declared disqualified from contesting the election and if elected, such election may be declared void," the plea said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)