'A serious economic issue' — SC suggests forming apex body to control freebies during elections

The apex court said there is a need for an apex body to make suggestions on how to control freebies by political parties. The expert body is likely to consist of NITI Aayog, finance commission, ruling and opposition parties, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other stakeholders.

"All stakeholders who want the freebies and who are opposing it, including RBI, NITI Aayog, and opposition parties, have to be involved in this process of making some constructive suggestion," said the bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli on Wednesday.

The court also asked the Centre, Election Commission, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, and petitioners to submit their suggestions within seven days on the composition of the apex body and give a report to it.

Supporting the petition against promises of freebies by political parties, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said: "This way we are heading towards economic disaster." He said, "These populist promises have an adverse effect on voters. This is how we head towards economic disasters."

CJI said that every political party benefits from the freebies. "Everybody feels the money paid as taxes is not paid for the purposes of developments etc. and thus everyone should use an independent forum and court should not be that forum. Every political party benefits from the freebies. I don't want to name one," CJI Ramana was quoted as saying.