Now Reading: Delhi HC questions mandatory MP, MLA nod for Lakshmi Yojana aid
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Delhi HC questions mandatory MP, MLA nod for Lakshmi Yojana aid
The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to explain why beneficiaries of the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana must obtain an endorsement from their local MP or MLA to receive Rs…
The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to explain why beneficiaries of the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana must obtain an endorsement from their local MP or MLA to receive Rs 2,500 monthly aid. A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said a welfare scheme without a rationale could be arbitrary.
The court asked the government to file a short affidavit within 10 days. It noted the scheme's gazette notification did not mention the endorsement requirement. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Delhi government, said 6.1 lakh women had already enrolled and similar schemes existed elsewhere. The matter will be heard again on October 17.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The court's scrutiny goes to the heart of how welfare schemes are administered in a patronage-heavy political system. The requirement effectively puts a legislator in the role of gatekeeper for a cash transfer, a design that creates scope for selective approval. Delhi's earlier experience with doorstep delivery of rations showed that removing intermediaries reduced complaints. The key question is whether the government can show a legitimate administrative purpose for the endorsement, such as preventing fraud, or whether it is struck down as arbitrary. The October 17 hearing will determine if the scheme proceeds in its current form.
Source: nationalheraldindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
