NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed listing before a three-judge bench pleas against the practice of political parties promising pre-election freebies, saying it appeared the issues raised before it require an “extensive” hearing.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana noted that certain preliminary issues may be needed to be deliberated upon in these petitions.
The court order on Justice Ramana’s last day in office comes against the backdrop of the freebies versus welfare scheme debate that has sparked a political slugfest in the recent weeks.
The bench, also comprising Justices Hima Kohli and C T Ravikumar, said it was argued before it that the 2013 judgement delivered by a two-judge bench of the apex court in the matter of S Subramaniam Balaji vs The Government of Tamil Nadu and others required reconsideration.
“Looking into the complexities of the issues involved and the prayer to overrule the judgement rendered by a two-judge bench of this court in…