Supreme Court questions election ‘freebies’, says people ‘not willing to work’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the practice of political parties announcing “freebies” before elections, saying that people were unwilling to work as they were getting free foodgrains and money, PTI reported.

“Unfortunately, because of these freebies... the people are not willing to work,” Justice BR Gavai observed. “They are getting free rations. They are getting amount without doing any work.”

“Freebies” is a term frequently used by critics of certain welfare benefits such as subsidised or free foodgrains and public transport, and concessions in electricity bills.

Gavai, along with Justice Augustine George Masih, was on Wednesday hearing a public interest litigation petition about the right to shelter for homeless persons in cities.

“We quite appreciate your concern for them but would it not be better to make them a part of the mainstream of society and permit them to contribute to the development of the nation?” the court asked.

During the hearing, Advocate Prashant Bhushan said that some shelters for homeless persons in Delhi had been removed for the purposes of “beautification”, The Indian Express reported. However, the court said that the counsel for the Delhi government had submitted that the shelters were dilapidated.

Gavai then referred to an affidavit that listed out the facilities to be provided at such shelters and remarked: “So, rather than promoting...

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