'Tadka of populism': Chief Election Commissioner on freebies by political parties
PTC News Desk: Freebies announced ahead of polls sport the "tadka of populism" and political parties find that it is difficult to implement such promises and either do not make good their pledges or stop it entirely after they come to power, said Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
"As you said there is some announcement in one state or some other in another state, don't know why they forget for five years and at the end make announcements one month or 15 days - (ahead of poll dates announcements). Anyway, that is within the domain of the state governments," the CEC further said.
The top poll officer was responding to questions at a press conference on how the commission was reigning in such tactics and what they defined as a freebie.
"Such freebies announcements have the 'tadka' of populism. Implementing the freebies and otherwise, both are difficult (choices)," CEC stated.
"You are aware that the Commission had issued a proforma which is in the public domain...This proforma basically says that political parties have the right to say in their manifesto what they are going to do. At the same time, the voters also have the right to know when they will be implemented, how much, and how. The proforma asks what is your debt to GDP ratio, interest payments to total revenue receipts, whether you will breach FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act) targets, whether you will cut allocation in other schemes to fulfil the manifesto, and whether they will put additional taxes (on citizens). So, the intention was to bring everything into the public domain."
"Another thing is present versus future generations. Are you not mortgaging the future generations? So there is a balance that needs to come so that voters must know the picture that is coming out of the financial fundamentals," he added.
Furthermore, CEC stated that the public has the right to know how political parties will fulfil those freebies in order to make an informed choice.
"The commission has already issued this circular (proforma) and done the political party consultations. But as you are aware, the matter is subjudice and the commission will act as soon as there is clarity and the decision is available on the subject," the CEC added.
The schedule for assembly elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana was released today by the Election Commission.
Mizoram will vote on November 7, Chhattisgarh will vote on November 7 and 17, Madhya Pradesh will vote on November 17, Rajasthan will vote on November 23, and Telangana will vote on November 30.
On December 3, all states will conduct vote counting.
- ANI
