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N.KIRUBAKARAN, J.

“ c';fs; tPl;Lf;nf te;J rikay;; bra;J itg;nghk;”; ? fl;rp “eh';fs; rikj;J kl;Lky;y, jl;oy; nghl;L Cl;o tpLnthk;” ? vjph;fl;rp [''We will cook food for you in your residence'' – Party ''We will not only cook, but also feed you'' – Opposite party] Time is not too far away to hear the aforesaid promises from competing political parties. It is raining freebies for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Each party tries to undo each other in terms of populist promises. If one party promises monthly assistance of Rs.1,000/- to women households heads, there is a counter freebies of Rs.1,500/-. It goes on. The result is people started having a mind set that they could make a living out of freebies. A trend has been created that whoever avails loan from banks, does not repay the loan, expecting waiver of loans during election. In this way, people themselves get corrupted by political parties. The way in which the political parties throw their promises, which are unreasonable and unworkable are really unwanted. Unfortunately, freebies are not connected with job creation, development, or agriculture. Voters are lured to cast votes in their favour by these magical promises. Once in 5 years, this tamasha is being continued for decades together. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ Promises have always remained as promises. Most of them except freebies are not implemented.

4.It is not as if everyone in Tamil Nadu have become an entrepreneur or persons with resources and if we go into details, most of the persons including wealthy are expecting freebies. Engineering Graduates, M.Phil, M.B.A. Degreeholders are applying for sweeper posts and O.A. posts. Nobody wants to do manual job. It is reported in media that people who go for 100 days work, (MNREGA), which has been brought by the Government to give work for people, simply chit chatting under trees without doing the work. The way in which things are happening today, one would not be surprised to see that migrant workers would be owners of the properties in due course and the sons of the soil will become workers working under them and it may be https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ the only achievement, probably, the political parties have attained through election promises by providing freebies for the past 20 years.

29.Once the Hon'ble Supreme Court opined that freebies vitiates the purity of election process and influence the voters, it should be deemed to be a corrupt practice. It is not as if offers of money or kind to influence the voters by candidates, alone can become corrupt practice and the polititcal parties which in whole sale manner offer or lure by promising freebies to the people to vote for their respective party to power, cannot be construed as corrupt practice. Whether it is done by an individual or by a party, it is definitely a bribery or corrupt practice. Our democracy has stooped down to such a level that time has come to bring the political parties which offer freebies to influence the voters for picking up votes also, within the scope of Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act.

30.The election manifestos were not that much popular about 30 years ago and only for the past two decades they have became very popular among the masses, as the polititcal parties compete with each other offering free gifts and freebies in various forms and kinds, promising them better https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ development, social upliftment and comfortable life during their regime if they are voted to power. Whether the development is achieved or not, the freebies only achieved in creating/inculcating laziness among the people, shattering the work culture of the State. Consequently, no labour or sufficient labour is available and no work is done in the State, without the imported migrant labours from other States. As observed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Election Manifesto is the road map to the policies of the political parties to show as to how they intend to govern the State or Country and what are all the infrastructures to be developed and other incidental ideas. Indeed, it is a welcome one. However, unfortunately the political parties are at best concentrating only on freebies to get the voters by hook or crook in their craving for winning the elections. This has to be stopped as otherwise, there shall be no distinction between the enthusiastic work force and those who sit back and enjoy the freebies without doing anything.