Election Commission, courts, govt have no jurisdiction to regulate freebies: Congress

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 28

The Congress on Friday said neither the courts, nor the government or the Election Commission (EC) had the jurisdiction to regulate freebies and the EC should accordingly desist from doing so.

In a letter to the Commission on the latter’s earlier missive seeking political party reactions to freebies regulation, Congress MP and AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Commission had no “jurisdiction to justiciate or regulate such issues (freebies) and should desist from doing so.”

Jairam said it is something which is to be decided pre- and post-election by way of electoral punishment or reward by the electorate which would decide on the wisdom of poll promises and campaign assurances or their breach and non compliance.

“The issue is not liable to regulation by constitutional bodies, be it courts or the EC. These things are part of the dialectics of vibrant Indian democratic system. The EC should focus on ensuring free and fair elections,” he said.

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