spinner

Central Government Defends 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' Scheme in Delhi High Court Amidst PIL Alleging Political Use of

Last Updated: 09-05-2024 03:47:48pm
Central Government Defends 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' Scheme in Delhi High Court Amidst PIL Alleging Political Use of

The Central Government, on Tuesday, defended the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ scheme in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Delhi High Court. The litigation questioned the use of defense personnel and public resources for political purposes.The bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora, expressed the view that advocating for national progress was a common goal across political affiliations. The bench further emphasized that such efforts were not inherently biased.The petition was filed by former civil servant EAS Sarma and the President of the Association of Democratic Reforms, Jagdeep S Chhokar, through Advocate Prashant Bhushan, challenging the directives regarding the utilization of defense officers and civil servants for promotional purposes. Advocate Bhushan argued that the extensive use of public funds and military personnel for promotional activities amounted to politicization disguised as highlighting government achievements. He raised concerns about the involvement of army officials and the setup of promotional selfie points, alleging unfair advantages and violation of legal precedents.Furthermore, Advocate Bhushan further sought a directive to prevent political parties from using public servants for promotional activities aimed at furthering the ruling party's interests. He argued that such practices violated regulations governing government officials' conduct and the Representation of Peoples Act, which prohibits the use of government resources for political purposes.Assistant Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the government, explained that the Viksit Bharat initiative combined various government schemes aimed at assisting underserved populations. He emphasized the inclusive and non-partisan nature of these schemes, clarifying that the objective was to showcase government achievements without political associations.In contrast, ASG argued that the Viksit Bharat scheme aimed to reach marginalized sections of society, ensuring that government initiatives benefited all citizens. He highlighted that the Yatra had concluded in March, emphasizing its goal of widespread awareness and inclusivity.The court maintained that deploying defense personnel and civil servants for promotional activities was acceptable as long as it remained free from political bias.As a result, the court scheduled the matter for May 21.

TAGS: Central Government Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra Delhi High Court Public Interest Litigation EAS Sarma Association of Democratic Reforms


Latest Posts

Karnataka High Court Upholds BDA Land Acquisition, Dismisses Petition Filed 53 Years Later

Karnataka High Court Upholds B...

Supreme Court Upholds Prisoners' Right to Legal Aid in Landmark Ruling

Supreme Court Upholds Prisoner...

Supreme Court’s Verdict in Lalta Prasad Vaish & Sons vs State of Uttar Pradesh

Supreme Court’s Verdict in L...

Supreme Court Upholds Pay Structure for Artificers in Indian Navy

Supreme Court Upholds Pay Stru...

Supreme Court Quashes FIR Against HDFC Bank in Locker Operation Dispute

Supreme Court Quashes FIR Agai...

Supreme Court Ruling on Corporate Insolvency Proceedings: Vidyasagar Prasad vs UCO Bank

Supreme Court Ruling on Corpor...

Supreme Court Ruling on Yashodeep Bisanrao Vadode's Criminal Appeal

Supreme Court Ruling on Yashod...

Supreme Court Resolves Lease Dispute between Central Warehousing Corporation and Sidhartha Tiles

Supreme Court Resolves Lease D...