Freebies debate: SC directs listing of pleas before three-judge bench

The Supreme Court directed listing of pleas before a three-judge bench, which have raised the issue relating to the practice of political parties promising freebies.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana on Friday said it was argued before it that the 2013 judgement delivered by a two-judge bench of the apex court in the matter of S Subramaniam Balaji vs The Government of Tamil Nadu and others required reconsideration.

“Looking into the complexities of the issues involved and the prayer to overrule the judgement rendered by a two-judge bench of this court in Subramaniam Balaji, we direct listing of the set of petitions before a three-judge bench after obtaining the orders from the Chief Justice of India,” PTI quoted the bench as saying.

The top court said these pleas would be listed after four weeks.

In the 2013 judgement, the apex court had noted that after examining and considering the parameters laid in section 123 of the Representation of People Act, it arrived at a conclusion that the promises in the election manifesto cannot be read into section 123 for declaring it to be a corrupt practice.

(With inputs from agencies)