<p>The Supreme Court Wednesday agreed to hear on Thursday a petition seeking registration of FIRs and disqualification of candidates from various political parties for offering freebies during the Assembly polls in five states. </p>.<p>The PIL claimed that 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.</p>.<p>Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha mentioned the plea before a bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana which agreed to list it for hearing on March 3.</p>.<p>The bench said, "Election bribing is taking place everywhere. It is not for a particular state."</p>.<p>The petition filed by Surjit Singh Yadav, vice president of NGO Hindu Sena, sought a direction to disqualify all the members set up by the Indian National Congress, and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and the candidates put by the Aam Admi Party in Punjab in the 2022 Assembly Elections.</p>.<p>It also sought registration of FIRs against the political parties for inducing the voters by making offer of gifts, goods, money from the public exchequer, if they are voted to form the state government in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur respectively for an offence committed under Section 123(1)(A) of Representation of People Act, 1951.</p>.<p>In the last five years, registered political parties, in to order to induce the voters in their favour have been making offers or promises of freebies like free water, electricity, and wifi, and gifts like bicycle, laptop, mobile phones etc. </p>.<p>"Therefore, the question arises, can a political party, its leaders can make public announcement during election campaign or prior to it or offer and promise, to be fulfilled at the cost of public money. It further requires consideration if a political party can do so with public money and without any budgetary provision," it said.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
<p>The Supreme Court Wednesday agreed to hear on Thursday a petition seeking registration of FIRs and disqualification of candidates from various political parties for offering freebies during the Assembly polls in five states. </p>.<p>The PIL claimed that 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.</p>.<p>Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha mentioned the plea before a bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana which agreed to list it for hearing on March 3.</p>.<p>The bench said, "Election bribing is taking place everywhere. It is not for a particular state."</p>.<p>The petition filed by Surjit Singh Yadav, vice president of NGO Hindu Sena, sought a direction to disqualify all the members set up by the Indian National Congress, and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and the candidates put by the Aam Admi Party in Punjab in the 2022 Assembly Elections.</p>.<p>It also sought registration of FIRs against the political parties for inducing the voters by making offer of gifts, goods, money from the public exchequer, if they are voted to form the state government in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur respectively for an offence committed under Section 123(1)(A) of Representation of People Act, 1951.</p>.<p>In the last five years, registered political parties, in to order to induce the voters in their favour have been making offers or promises of freebies like free water, electricity, and wifi, and gifts like bicycle, laptop, mobile phones etc. </p>.<p>"Therefore, the question arises, can a political party, its leaders can make public announcement during election campaign or prior to it or offer and promise, to be fulfilled at the cost of public money. It further requires consideration if a political party can do so with public money and without any budgetary provision," it said.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
