New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre, Election Commission and six state governments on a plea that the announcement schemes involving direct cash transfer reaching the people till two days before the polling was violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution as it had upset the level playing field.
The SC bench also sought direction to the poll panel to prepare comprehensive guidelines on freebies, direct cash transfer schemes and other such schemes before the elections.
Besides the Centre and EC, the six states that have been issued notice include Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Jharkhand and Karnataka.
The petitioner, Pentapati Pulla Rao, has contended that the announcement of schemes involving direct cash transfer like PM Kisan, Pasupu Kumkuma, NTR Atmabandhu, Rytu Bandhu, KALIA, Mukhya Mantri Krishi Yojana violated Article 112 and 202 of the Constitution.
The petitioner has sought direction to the EC to fix minimum time preferably six months for the announcement and implementation of the schemes involving freebies which impact free and fair elections.
