Now Reading: Delhi HC questions MP/MLA endorsement rule for Lakshmi Yojana
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Delhi HC questions MP/MLA endorsement rule for Lakshmi Yojana
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the Delhi government over the requirement that women obtain an endorsement from their local MP or MLA to avail benefits under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana (DLY). A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia noted that the scheme's eligibility criteria do not mandate such endorsements, and said making an application dependent on an MP's or MLA's views may not be appropriate.
The court observed that there are better ways to determine eligibility, such as asking for documents, and that an applicant may not always be able to obtain an endorsement from an MP or MLA. It directed the Delhi government's counsel to obtain instructions on the issue and said it would hear the matter again next week.
The observations came during a PIL filed by Abhishek Dutt and Vedpal Sheetal Chaudhary challenging several conditions of the scheme, which provides Rs 2,500 per month to eligible women in Delhi. The petition claims the original cabinet decision in March 2025, with an allocation of Rs 5,100 crore, did not include a mandatory MP/MLA endorsement.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The court's intervention strikes at a core design issue: whether a welfare scheme can delegate gatekeeping to elected representatives. Clause 4 of the scheme lists no such endorsement requirement, yet application documents apparently impose one, creating a gap between policy and practice. This risks exclusion for women who lack access to their MP or MLA, or who face political discrimination. The scheme's Rs 5,100 crore outlay covers a monthly transfer of Rs 2,500 per beneficiary, making eligibility conditions consequential for both the budget and lakhs of women. The next hearing is set for next week.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
