The Election
Commission will call for an all-party meeting to frame guidelines for
election manifestos after the Supreme Court last week directed the poll
panel to regulate content of the promises made by political parties.
"Freebies
promised by political parties in their election manifestos shake the
roots of free and fair polls," the Supreme Court had said on Friday.
In
a statement, the Election Commission today said a "meeting of all
recognized national and state political parties will be held for
consultations on implementation of the Supreme Court judgment." Copies
of the judgment have been sent to all political parties, the statement
added.
However, a date for the meeting has not been set yet.
A
Supreme Court bench had said though the election manifesto is published
before the code of conduct comes into force, the Election Commission
can make an exception by bringing it within the code of conduct.
The
Supreme Court said that freebies disturb the level playing field among
parties contesting the polls and vitiates the election process.
The
judgement may have wide ramifications and can put a curb on political
parties promising electrical appliances and gadgets if voted to power.
-With inputs from PTI