The Supreme Court ruled that it had no control over political parties' ability to make a variety of election-night promises, but it did decide to request responses from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, the Centre, and the Election Commission in response to a PIL that claimed that the chief ministers of states that were going to the polls had announced irrational cash doles that were driving these states into financial difficulties.
“Before elections, all kinds of promises are made. We Can't control it,” said a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud when a PIL filed by Bhattulal Jain came up for hearing. Jain’s counsel said that cash doles promised by the CM of Madhya Pradesh, which is facing financial constraints, would put the state in a precarious condition financially and the burden would be passed on to the taxpayers after the polls.
The CJI questioned the petitioner's attorney about Jain's decision to approach the SC directly rather than requesting that the Madhya Pradesh high court hear his recent unsuccessful attempt to address this matter. The attorney then claimed that a similar cash handout had also been announced by the chief minister of Rajasthan.