India's Supreme Court warns freebies threaten finances, urging targeted welfare over populist subsidies.

India's Supreme Court has warned that political parties' widespread use of "freebies" such as free electricity and food endangers public finances and long-term economic growth. During a hearing on Tamil Nadu's challenge to the Centre's 2024 Electricity (Amendment) Rules, Chief Justice Surya Kant questioned the long-term viability of blanket subsidies, urging states to transition to planned, budgeted welfare schemes that prioritize employment and fiscal responsibility. The court emphasized that indiscriminate giveaways, particularly by revenue-deficit states, undermine development and risk instilling dependency, and urged for transparent, targeted policies over populist rhetoric. The bench issued a notice to the central government and requested a response.