Hearing freebies issue for welfare of country: Supreme Court

New Delhi, Aug 23: Chief Justice of India, N V Ramana said that freebies is an important issue that needs to be debated. The CJI said that the Supreme Court is hearing the matter for the welfare of the country.

Justice Ramana wondered if the Centre made a law prohibiting states from doling out freebies would be open to judicial scrutiny.

On August 11 the court observed that freebies and social welfare schemes are two different things. It also ruled out the possibility of considering a plea for de-recognising parties for making promises to give freebies.

Asking stakeholders to give suggestions on this aspect before August 17, a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Krishna Murari said the idea to de-recognise political parties for making promises to give irrational freebies during the polls was "undemocratic".

"I do not want to enter the area of de-registering a political party etc. as it is an undemocratic idea...We are a democracy after all," the CJI, speaking for the bench, said.

The CJI said the issue of promise to grant irrational freebies during the poll process is a "serious issue" but he will not encroach into the legislative domain even if there was a statutory vacuum on the issue, a PTI report said.

You can call me reluctant or conservative but I do not want to encroach upon the legislative domain...I am a strict orthodox. I do not want to encroach on the areas meant for the legislature. This is a serious issue. It is not an easy thing. Let us hear others also," the bench said.