A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been submitted to the Allahabad High Court, demanding the disqualification of all 99 Congress MPs. The petition claims that the Congress party’s ‘Ghar Ghar Guarantee Scheme,’ which was introduced during the Lok Sabha election campaign, constitutes bribery under legal provisions, reported PTI.
The PIL also requests the court to issue directives against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of inaction regarding the Congress campaign. Despite an advisory from the ECI issued on May 2 this year, which warned against such practices, the petition alleges that the Congress continued distributing guarantee cards, thereby undermining the electoral process.
The ‘Ghar Ghar Guarantee Scheme,’ as outlined in the PIL, involves handing out guarantee cards that promise various financial and material benefits in return for votes. The petition argues that these promises violate Section 123(1)(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and are punishable under Sections 171B and 171E of the Indian Penal Code.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on April 3 had launched the party’s ‘Ghar Ghar Guarantee’ initiative in New Delhi.
“We are distributing this guarantee card to take our Panch Nyay Pachees Guarantee to people. All Congress leaders and workers will take this card to households across the counts and will tell people what our alliance government will do when it assumes power,” he had said while launching the initiative.
“We give a guarantee that our government has always worked for people and will always do so. PM Modi talks about Modi ki Guarantee but his guarantee never reaches the people,” he had added.
Asserting that all 99 Congress MPs elected in the recent polls should be disqualified under current law, the PIL also calls for criminal proceedings against them for benefiting from the scheme. It criticizes the ECI for its failure to act, accusing it of “neglecting its constitutional duty” to ensure fair elections.
The petition seeks a court order to compel the ECI to suspend or revoke the Congress party’s recognition under Section 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The PIL emphasises the need for judicial intervention to safeguard electoral integrity and urges the court to address concerns over the ECI’s role in maintaining the democratic process in India. The case, filed by Bharti Devi from Fatehpur district, is expected to be reviewed by the high court in the near future.
With inputs from PTI.