HC to hear plea challenging Delhi govt's free pilgrimage scheme

Delhi High Court on Friday said that it would hear on January 28 the plea filed before it challenging the Delhi government's free pilgrimage scheme.

The plea, filed by BJP's legal cell convenor Rajesh Kumar, challenged the "arbitrary collection and scrutiny of applications by Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) agent" and the "mandatory requirements of only voter ID" and a "certificate from the MLA."

The petitioner approached the court seeking quashing of the policy guidelines and direction to the government to frame non-discriminatory guidelines and invite fresh applications for the scheme.

The plea claimed that the guidelines have been made only to further the agenda and campaign of AAP at the expense of public funds.

"The government has deliberately not provided any address for submission of application forms by the citizen. Hence, the only way to submit form is through AAP's local agent. There is no process of giving the acknowledgement for the receipt of applications," the plea said.

He said that the mandatory requirements for the scheme -- voter ID -- discriminate against other citizens, who have other documents such as passport, driving licence, etc., adding that it has been deliberately designed to lure voters of Delhi.

Another mandatory requirement for the scheme is a certificate from a local MLA, which the plea alleged is to ensure that only AAP's voters or intended voters may avail of the free scheme.

This, the plea said, discriminates the supporter of other political parties.

"All the above conditions provide full control to the ruling political party to select beneficiaries according to their own wish without any transparency. The same is violating Article 14 of the Constitution, which provides for the equitable and non-discriminatory distribution of state largesse," added the petition.