Supreme Court to hear plea on standard election manifesto format
The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition asking for all political parties to use a standard format for their election manifestos, basically making it easier for voters to compare what each party promises.
The plea, filed by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, argues that manifestos should be as organized as court schedules so everyone can actually understand what's on offer.
Upadhyay seeks Election Commission sanctions
Upadhyay also wants the Election Commission to step in and hold parties accountable if they don't deliver on key promises, even suggesting that it could seize the election symbol and derecognise political parties which fail to fulfill their essential rational promises made in their election manifestos.
The big idea: treat manifestos like "vision document, a published declaration of the intentions, motives and views of the political party" that matter, not just campaign flyers.