While eligible women from the general category receive ₹1,000 per month under the scheme, those belonging to Scheduled Castes receive ₹1,500 monthly.
The scheme has been challenged by way of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Harbakhsh Charitable Society.
It has argued that while Voter ID card can be one of the documents required for the purposes of identification, requiring it mandatorily for the grant of benefit under the scheme manifests its purpose, that is to act as a quid pro quo for securing votes.
The PIL states that Punjab government repeatedly pleads financial constraints before the Court when asked to discharge its admitted statutory liabilities towards its employees and pensioners but yet, it continues to incur substantial recurring expenditure upon discretionary subsidy or freebie schemes.
“The said approach, according to the Petitioner, reflects an arbitrary and irrational prioritisation of public resources and raises issues concerning fiscal accountability, good governance and the constitutional obligation to utilise public funds in a reasonable and non-arbitrary manner,” the plea said.