Govt distributing cash before polls atrocious: Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought response of the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on a PIL alleging distribution of freebies to voters ahead of assembly polls in both states.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also issued notices to the Centre, the Election Commission and the Reserve Bank of India on the PIL, which also alleged that taxpayers’ monies are misused by the two state governments to lure voters.

There can be nothing more atrocious than the government distributing cash before the polls. This is happening every time and the burden is on the taxpayers ultimately, the lawyer representing the petitioner said.

Issue notice. Returnable in four weeks, the bench said. The court took note of the PIL filed by Bhattulal Jain and ordered that it be tagged with a pending plea on

the issue. In another hearing, The Supreme Court said it will constitute a seven-judge bench to consider the issue of validity of passage of laws like the Aadhaar Act as Money Bill. The decision is aimed at addressing the controversy around money bills after the government introduced legislations like Aadhaar Bill and even amendments to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as money bills, apparently to circumvent the Rajya Sabha where it did not have majority. A money bill is a piece of legislation which can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha cannot amend or reject it.

The Upper House can only make recommendations which may or may not be accepted by the Lower House. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said all pending seven-judge bench matters will be listed on October 12 for procedural directions.