Freebie culture may burden future generations, says CJI
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday flagged the growing practice of states spending heavily on election-time freebies as an issue that warrants serious judicial examination, warning that poorly targeted subsidies could impose unsustainable fiscal burdens on future generations.
The observation came while the Supreme Court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking directions to the Election Commission to bar political parties from promising what he termed “freebies” during elections.
“State splurging on freebies rather than on welfare schemes is an important matter to examine,” Chief Justice Kant remarked, drawing a distinction between constitutionally mandated welfare measures and the indiscriminate distribution of state largesse.
He clarified that provisions such as free medical aid, free education and essential public welfare schemes fall within the state’s constitutional responsibilities. However, the court expressed concern over policies that prioritise giveaways over long-term welfare planning and fiscal discipline.
The top court noted that a similar petition had been referred to a three-judge bench in 2022 and said the issue would be considered again while constituting a fresh bench to examine the broader implications of freebies on public finances and governance.
The issue has gained political and judicial traction in recent years. In February last year, the Supreme Court made strong remarks on the culture of freebies, observing that excessive handouts may discourage people from working and risk creating what it described as a “class of parasites”.
The debate has also spilled into the political arena, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly criticising opposition parties, including the AAP and Congress, for distributing “revdis” to allegedly buy votes. Opposition parties, in turn, have defended welfare spending, citing inflation, unemployment and economic distress, and argued that taxpayer money should be used to ease citizens’ hardships.
Adding nuance to the debate, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister member Sanjeev Sanyal had earlier differentiated between essential welfare safety nets and politically motivated freebies. While acknowledging the need for social safety nets in a risk-taking economy, he cautioned against universal, non-targeted schemes, such as blanket free services, warning that they may strain public finances without addressing structural challenges.
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