The trend of political parties to influence voters by offering freebies with an eye on elections is not only the greatest threat to the survival of democratic values but also injures the spirit of the Constitution.
The promise of offering freebies to people by political parties if they are voted to power is now a common feature during elections in India.
Freebies are against the principles of democracy. Such illogically executed plans drain off taxpayers money. It disturbs the level playing field and vitiates the purity of the poll process. If the promises made are met post-election then it is win of democracy. There should be a total ban on such populist measures to gain undue political favours from the voters as they violate the Constitution and the ECI should take suitable deterrent measures.
This unethical practice is just like giving bribes to the electorate at the cost of the exchequer to stay in power and must be avoided to preserve democratic principles and practices.
The fulcrum of democracy is the electoral process and the distribution of money and promise of freebies have reached alarming levels with elections being countermanded several times.
