The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a plea seeking direction that political parties after coming to power should implement the promises made in their manifestos at the time of elections and shun "unprincipled" post-poll alliances.
As petitioner Mithilesh Kumar Dubey described as "cheating" the political parties turning their back on the promises made by them at the time of going to polls, a bench of Chief Justice H.L.Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy asked him which laws says that that the promises made at the time of elections are enforceable.
Justice Roy asked: "Which law says that a promise made by the political party is enforceable by law. Only if promise is enforceable you can say there is a cheating. Otherwise where is cheating?"
Dubey, who had moved the apex court challenging Delhi High Court order declining his plea, urged it to intervene to prevent post-poll alliances. At this, the court observed: "When two political parties want to form a government to prevent an election, is it for this court to say don't join together after the polls?"
"They may say so many things during elections (against each other) but to prevent election again and again three or four political parties can come together. Can we say that you can't come together?" the court asked Dubey.
Indicating that sagacity of the people should not be doubted, the court said that people would not vote for such alliances if they fall apart and don't deliver.
IANS