The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission on a plea seeking a direction to seize the election symbol or de-register a political party that promises or distributes "irrational freebies" from public funds before elections.
A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli sought the response in four weeks on the plea filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay.
The plea said there should be a total ban on such populist measures to gain undue political favour from voters as they violate the Constitution and the Election Commission of India should take suitable deterrent measures.
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