New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 1) heard a matter related to the distribution or promise of free goods to voters during elections. Meanwhile, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice (CJI) UU Lalit referred the matter to a three-judge bench of the apex court. Now a three-judge bench will hear the matter. However, CJI UU Lalit is retiring on November 8. In such a situation, Justice DY Chandrachud, who is becoming the new CJI on November 9, will constitute this three-member bench after assuming office.

During the hearing, CJI UU Lalit ordered that the matter is being referred to a larger bench of three judges. The CJI said that we believe that the matter should be heard by a 3-member bench as soon as possible. So far, the matter was being heard by a two-member bench headed by the CJI. During the hearing, the petitioner's lawyer Ashwani Upadhyay said that the court had asked for an expert committee to be formed on this issue. We propose that this committee be formed.

At the same time, the Election Commission said during this time that we will not be in this committee. It is certain that if a Committee is formed, we will fully help. On this, the CJI said that we are referring the matter to a larger bench of three judges. The petition has been filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay. In this, he has demanded from the apex court that it should not allow political parties to make promises of giving free goods in the election environment. It has been said in the petition that political parties do this only for their vote bank.

On the other hand, the Election Commission has proposed to the political parties to amend the Model Code of Conduct for free election gifts. Under this, the Commission had sought the opinion of political parties to give authentic information to the voters about the economic viability of the election promises. The commission, in a letter to all recognised national and state-level parties, had asked them to share their views by October 19.  

To this, the BJP had said in its reply that free election gifts are meant to woo the voters, whereas welfare is a policy, through which inclusive development of the voters is done. The party is understood to have no objection to the Election Commission's view that political parties should also submit to the financial viability of their election promises. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also responded in the same manner as the BJP. Whereas, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) opposed this and said that the parties should have the freedom to make election promises.

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