Delhi High Court reviews PIL against mandatory political endorsements for Lakshmi Yojana

The Delhi High Court has tagged a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the mandatory requirement for women to obtain an endorsement or recommendation letter from a Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to access benefits under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana.

The scheme provides monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to eligible women from economically weaker sections. The petitioner argues that making political endorsement a compulsory condition is arbitrary, non-transparent, and burdensome for vulnerable populations. The plea suggests that the scheme should instead utilize an objective and accessible verification mechanism.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia has directed authorities to file their responses and scheduled the matter to be heard alongside a similar pending case on September 17.