The Supreme Court has sought to delve deep into direct cash transfers under social welfare schemes during the recently concluded General Elections after a petitioner alleged that it amounted to bribing voters. Advocate Santosh Paul, who represented Rao, pointed to the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, which is meant to transfer Rs 6,000 annually each to 12.5 crore farmers. As per petitioner Rao, Telangana announced the scheme for farmers in 2018 and AP brought out its programme in January this year. Bengal and Jharkhand too announced similar schemes for farmers. Stressing that free and fair polls lie at the core of the issue, it directed the EC to ensure that guidelines on freebies are necessarily put in place.

Source: dna July 02, 2019 23:37 UTC