On February 5, 2026, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in March concerning political parties that promise or distribute "irrational freebies" before elections. Lawyer-petitioner Ashwini Updhyaya told the Bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, that notices on the PIL were issued to the Centre and the Election Commission in 2022. He asked the court to list the case soon. "Except Sun and Moon, everything is promised by political parties to voters during elections and this amounts to corrupt practice," Updhyaya said. Chief Justice Surya Kant responded, "This is an important issue. You please remind us and mention it at the end. We will list in March." The PIL, first raised in January 2022, seeks to direct authorities to seize the symbol or deregister political parties that promise or give irrational freebies. The petition claims such promises influence voters unfairly and harm the electoral process. It describes the trend as "the greatest threat to the survival of democratic values" and calls it equivalent to bribing voters with public money. The plea also seeks a new law from the Centre and requests the Election Commission to add a condition in its 1968 Symbols Order banning parties from promising or distributing irrational freebies. The petitioner argues that freebies violate constitutional articles on equality and fair conduct in elections. The court has noted that freebie budgets sometimes exceed regular budgets, showing the seriousness of the issue. With elections in some states close, the plea highlights the rising misuse of public funds to influence voters. It warns this endangers democracy and fairness in electoral battles. The Supreme Court's decision to hear this case signals focus on curbing the practice of election giveaways, aiming to protect the purity of India's democratic process.