Karnataka High Court Adjourns PIL To Ban Election Freebies, Says Issue Pending Before Supreme Court

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday adjourned by 12 weeks hearing on a public interest litigation seeking the authorities to initiate legal action against announcement of freebies in the course of election to the loksabha and assembly elections.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit pointed that the issue is already pending before the Supreme Court.

"Though we may have opinion and reservation but matter is before the Apex court. We are not issuing even notice. Let us wait for the outcome. List after 12 weeks,” it said.

The plea filed by retired Brigader Ravi Muniswamy and others seeks a direction to the Election Commission to frame guidelines relating to election freebies in accordance with the Constitution as well as socio-economic principles, in consultation with expert economists and finance department.

It states that declaring freebies prior to elections is nothing but cash for votes under provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, and that political parties have been creating trends to get power. “Because of the said freebies, it is not possible to expect free and fair election of candidates and it leads to severely bad/strained economy of the country and everyone has to face several kinds of problems,” the plea says.

It seeks a direction to the Union Government to immediately frame necessary laws and rules relating to the assurance or announcement of freebies. In the interregnum, it seeks a direction to stop freebies by candidate or political party forthwith.

Case Title: Brigadier Ravi Muniswamy (Retd) & others AND Union of India & others

Case No: Writ Petition No 27201 of 2023.