Read Time: 04 minutes

Synopsis

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.

Case Title: EAS Sarma v Union of India

[Input: The Indian Express]