Avoid offering freebies that can hit state’s fiscal health: CEC

New Delhi: Admitting that some states are unable to pay salaries due to the heavy cost of freebies promised during campaigning, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday said the Election Commission of India’s hands are tied on the issue of “freebies” which cannot be disallowed as per a court order.

“We cannot mortgage the future of the coming generation,” he said criticising the malpractice of political parties making financially unfeasible promises during elections.

He suggested that the parties should inform voters about the financial cost of each promise they make so that voters are aware of the debt on the government.

On Delhi elections, he said the ECI will write to the government barring it from making any Delhi-specific announcement in the Union Budget that is likely to be presented just four days before voting.

Pointing towards ECI’s limited scope to take any steps on freebies offered by parties, he said the matter is still sub-judice and in S. Subramaniam Balaji versus State of Tamil Nadu the top court has held that making promises in election manifestos do not amount to a ‘corrupt practice’.

The CEC also pointed out that the term freebies is subjective, and it is very difficult to define them. “What is a freebie for me is an entitlement for another,” he said, adding that freebies are a matter of economics.

He said in his view every part of an election promise included in a manifesto should also be accompanied by additional information for voters on the fiscal impact it will have on a state’s financial health.

“We know some states are unable to pay salaries due to their expenditure on fulfilling poll promises,” he said.

On some Opposition parties’ allegation that the ECI has, off late, been adopting a confrontationist attitude towards the political parties which come up with complaints, CEC Rajiv Kumar said when voting is on, or votes are being counted, we cannot allow rumour mongering.

“One allegation was that the pace of counting was deliberately slowed. This is unimaginable,” he said, justifying the CEC’s tough stance against some allegations made by parties.

Don’t make general accusations, but if there are any booth-specific complaints, then we will respond to every query, he said.

Hinting at cyber threats and possible attempts to influence the elections, the CEC said we spent sleepless nights over certain issues which the people in the IT field appreciate.

IANS