HC slams politicos, says ‘freebie culture’ has made TN people lazy

HC slams politicos, says ‘freebie culture’ has made TN people lazy

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.04.2021

Slamming political parties for encouraging ‘freebie culture’ in the state, the Madras high court on Wednesday said it has caused the people of Tamil Nadu to become lazy. Locals refuse to work resulting in migrant workers taking over jobs, the court said.

“One would not be surprised to see migrant workers would be owners of properties in due course and the sons of the soil will... (be) working under them,” a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice B Pugalendhi.

The HC made the observation while hearing a PIL moved by M Chandramohan in 2020 seeking direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to convert Vasudevanallur assembly constituency into a general constituency.

The bench raised a series of questions to be answered by the ECI while noting that serious steps must be taken by Parliament to amend the Representation of People Act to enable action against the political parties engaging in corrupt practices.

The ECI is to answer question on steps taken by the Centre to bring in legislation on political manifestos, particularly the freebies promised in manifestos. The court also sought information on ECI vetting manifestos and actions taken against erring political parties.

The court has also asked the ECI why political parties should not be made liable to pay at least 10% of the money required for implementation of election promises made by them and why the commission does not de-recognise parties that fail to implement their election promises based on which the voters are lured to vote the party to power. The court directed the ECI to answer the queries by April 26.

The bench raised a series of questions to be answered by the ECI while noting that serious steps must be taken to enable action against parties engaging in corrupt practices