Key Points
In 2013, the Supreme Court held that pre-election promises by political parties do not constitute corrupt practices, and asked the Election Commission to frame a set of rules in the absence of a legislative framework..
While such rules were never framed, the taste of victory emboldened smaller parties like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to promise free electricity and water, which was much more than the state exchequer could afford..
The parties project poll promises as an inseparable part of mandatory welfare schemes like poverty alleviation and providing basic civic amenities..
The election manifestos of all the parties competing in this months assembly elections in five statesMizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telanganainclude welfare schemes, some of which were termed as freebies by the prime minister..
While it is difficult to agree on one definition of freebies, it is important for all political parties to converge on the issue of the negative economic impact of such schemes announced merely to garner votes and dumped later...
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