Refrain from Offering Freebies That May Compromise State Financial Stability: CEC
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New Delhi, Jan 7 (NationPress) Recognizing that certain states are facing difficulties in salary payments due to the significant financial burden of freebies pledged during election campaigns, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized on Tuesday that the Election Commission of India is constrained regarding the freebies issue, which cannot be prohibited following a judicial directive.
“We cannot jeopardize the future of upcoming generations,” he remarked, condemning the unethical practices of political parties making economically unviable commitments during elections.
He recommended that political parties should disclose to voters the financial implications of each promise they make, ensuring voters are informed about the potential debt incurred by the government.
Regarding the upcoming elections in Delhi, he mentioned that the ECI will send a communication to the government, preventing it from making any announcements specific to Delhi in the Union Budget, which is set to be presented just four days prior to the voting.
Highlighting the ECI's limited authority to intervene regarding freebies offered by political parties, he noted that the matter is still under judicial review, and in the case of S. Subramaniam Balaji versus State of Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court has ruled that promises made in election manifestos do not constitute a 'corrupt practice'.
The Chief Election Commissioner also stated that the definition of freebies is subjective, making it challenging to categorize them. “What I view as a freebie may be seen as an entitlement by someone else,” he said, adding that freebies are fundamentally an economic matter.
In his perspective, every component of an election promise within a manifesto should be accompanied by supplementary information for voters regarding the fiscal ramifications it will have on the financial health of a state.
“It is evident that some states are struggling to pay salaries due to their expenses related to fulfilling electoral promises,” he remarked.
In response to allegations from certain opposition parties that the ECI has recently adopted a confrontational approach towards parties raising complaints, CEC Rajiv Kumar asserted that during voting or vote counting, the spread of rumors cannot be tolerated.
“One claim was that the counting process was intentionally delayed. This is unimaginable,” he defended the ECI's stringent position against some of the allegations made by political entities.
He advised against making broad accusations, stating that any specific complaints regarding polling booths will be thoroughly addressed.
Alluding to potential cyber threats and attempts to sway the elections, the CEC indicated that they have been deeply concerned about certain issues, which those in the IT sector can acknowledge.
