"Political Motive To Lure Voters Through Cash Benefits": PIL In Bombay HC Seeks Stay On State Govt's 'Ladki Bahin' And 'Yuva Karya' Schemes

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court to quash the Maharashtra Government's Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana (Chief Minister's Beloved Sister Scheme).

Further, to quash the Mukya Mantri Yuva Karya Prashikshan Yojna (Chief Minister's Youth Employment Skill Training Scheme).

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar listed the matter on Monday.

The Ladki Bahin scheme was adopted through a Government Resolution dated 28 June 2024. The scheme intends to give financial assistance of Rs. 1500 per month to women from economically weaker backgrounds. The scheme is targetted towards women between 21 to 60 years of age, whose annual income is below Rs 2.5 lakh. The budget allocated by the Government for the scheme is Rs. 4600 crores per year.

The Yuva Karya scheme intends to provide stipends ranging from Ra. 6000 to Rs. 10000 per month to youth between 18 to 35 years of age. The scheme aims to give technical training to youth to reduce unemployment in the State.

The petitioner contends that the budget allocated for these schemes will be a burden on the State exchequer and that it will cripple the State budget.

The petitioner claims that taxes should only be utilised for infrastructure development, building schools, hospitals etc. It is stated in the petition that these schemes are 'discriminatory towards direct and indirect taxpayers of the state'.

The petition alleges political motives behind these schemes in view of the upcoming legislative assembly elections in October 2024. It claims that cash benefits transfers are synonymous with 'bribery' or 'gift' to voters of a certain class so that they vote in favour of the present government.

The petitioner contends that these schemes, which are meant to 'lure voters' amount to bribery and undue influence, are punishable under Sections 171B and 171C of the Indian Penal Code.

The petitioner thus prays for setting aside these two schemes. The petitioner seeks a stay on disbursement of transfer of benefits under the schemes until final orders/judgment.

Case title: Naveed Abdul Saeed Mulla vs. State of Maharashtra & ors.