NEW DELHI: Politicians wooing voters by making tall promises may face judicial hammer if they fail to keep the same, the Supreme Court said yesterday. “File a suit for damages for false promises against the political parties or the elected representatives if they do not keep their promises,” Judge Arijit Pasayat said.
The bench, comprising him, Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathasivam, however, declined to entertain a petition filed by Tarun Rathi.
The petition appealed to apex court to lay down some guidelines to check the menace of political parties making false promises in their election manifestoes and forgetting the same immediately after coming to power.
Dismissing the petition, the bench said: “This court cannot issue such directives.” Pasayat, who retires today, told the petitioner’s counsel that legal action can be pursued against the elected politicians and parties, “if they do not keep their promises.”
The apex court adjourned till July the hearing of contempt of court petition filed against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for making remarks questioning integrity of judges who passed orders in connection with 2002 Gujarat carnage.
Modi had made the controversial remarks after a bench headed by Pasayat ordered the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe his role and of 63 others, including several ministers of his cabinet and senior officers, in 2002 Gujarat riots.
