Congress issued notice by Allahabad HC over mention of Nyay scheme in election manifesto

The Allahabad High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Congress on a plea seeking deletion from the party's election manifesto the promise of the minimum income guarantee scheme to grant Rs 72,000 per annum to the poorest families.

The bench comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Rajendra Kumar passed the order based on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocates Mohit Kumar and Amit Pandey.

The court directed the Congress party and the Election Commission of India to file their replies within two weeks and fixed May 13 as the next date of hearing.

The petitioners contended that such a promise in a manifesto amounted to bribery and is in violation of the Representation of the People Act.

A political party cannot make such promises as it is violation of the law and the model code of conduct, the plea said.