New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- Retired Justice SN Dhingra has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, claiming that the cash-oriented schemes announced by political parties ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections are unconstitutional, undermine the spirit of free and fair elections, and constitute election manipulation.

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) also seeks direction from the Election Commission of India to instruct the BJP, Indian National Congress (INC), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to immediately cease and desist from collecting personal and electoral data of voters under false pretences. The petition also calls for an order to prevent these parties from sharing or using the collected data with any third party.

The plea also seeks direction...