Indore, Feb 11 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation regarding the Ladli Behna Yojana for women, holding that the implementation of a scheme is a policy decision which falls within the government’s domain. A bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi dismissed the petition filed by former Ratlam MLA Paras Saklecha after hearing arguments.
Saklecha had demanded that as promised by the state government, every beneficiary should get Rs 3,000 per month, new beneficiaries be registered, and the minimum eligibility age be reduced from 21 to 18.
The stoppage of fresh registrations with effect from August 20, 2023, despite the policy being of a continuing nature, was arbitrary and discriminatory, the PIL claimed.
But the state government argued that it was a policy decision, and no woman receiving or seeking benefit under the scheme had approached the court.
The division bench said it found no merit in the argument that the stoppage of fresh registration under the scheme was arbitrary.
“In a policy decision, it is for the State to decide the date of implementation and its continuation. The fixation of the date for commencement and its closure is within the domain of the State,” said the high court.
“Petitioner’s submission is that despite the promise made by the respondent, the amount in the scheme has not been enhanced. The same we are not inclined to consider at the instance of the petitioner who is admittedly not an aspirant or beneficiary of the scheme and the same cannot be considered in a PIL,” it further said.
Ladli Behna Yojana was started by the BJP government a few months before the 2023 assembly elections. Currently, more than 1.26 crore women across Madhya Pradesh receive Rs 1,500 every month under the scheme.
The government has said that the amount will be increased to Rs 3,000 by 2028. PTI HWP MAS KRK
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