‘DMK's petition responsible for SC not issuing stay in freebies case’

CHENNAI: DMK MP P Wilson on Friday said that the timely impleading petition filed by DMK resulted in the Supreme Court not issuing a stay order in the freebies case.

"The arguments of DMK in the freebies case were accepted. We argued that the Court has no jurisdiction over freebies as they come under Article 37 of Indian Constitution, which are called Directive Principles of State Policies (DPSP) and court cannot issue stay order for issuing freebies as they are provided by the political parties and is against the principles of separation of powers. The timely impleading petition filed by DMK was responsible for the Supreme Court not issuing a stay order," said Wilson, while addressing the media, after the Supreme Court pronounced the order in the freebies case.

Wilson also said that freebies are provided for the welfare of the downtrodden people. They are provided as poll promises and people vote for the best poll promises. Later, poll promises turn into policies and they are approved in the Assembly following which they are made as announcements. Poll manifestos come under Article 19 1 (a) which can be challenged only through an Act of Parliament.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refused to issue a stay order on issuing freebies and forwarded the plea to the Chief Justice of India saying that the case should be tried in a three-judge Bench. The prayer of the petitioner to issue stay for freebies was not accepted by the Supreme Court.