Chief Justice Surya Kant on Wednesday said that the issue of states spending heavily on freebies instead of structured welfare schemes is an “important matter to examine,” flagging concerns that poorly targeted subsidies could impose unsustainable fiscal burdens on future generations. The observation was made during a hearing in the Supreme Court.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking directions to the Election Commission to restrain political parties from promising certain benefits termed as freebies. The Chief Justice clarified that essential services such as free medical aid, free education and public welfare measures fall within the state’s constitutional obligations, but questioned the indiscriminate distribution of state resources in the name of freebies.
The Supreme Court noted that the issue has been under its consideration since 2022, when a plea seeking restrictions on freebies was referred to a three-judge bench. The top court said it will examine the matter while constituting a new bench. Earlier, in February, the Supreme Court had made strong remarks, warning that excessive freebies could discourage people from working and potentially create a “class of parasites.”
