Plea seeks closure of Ladli Behna scheme; MP High Court issues notices

The brief

Context

The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana is a flagship cash-transfer scheme of Madhya Pradesh's BJP government under which eligible women receive a monthly allowance, now ₹1,500. Launched in March 2023 by then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at ₹1,000 a month, it is widely credited with helping the BJP counter anti-incumbency and win the 2023 Assembly elections with a large majority. A former Congress councillor from Gwalior, Sudha Dubey, has now petitioned the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking closure of the scheme, calling it an election freebie and questioning its burden on the State exchequer. On September 16, a Division Bench issued notices to State authorities seeking their response.

Key facts

• Petition before the MP High Court seeks closure of the Ladli Behna Scheme, under which eligible women get ₹1,500 per month from the State government.
• A Division Bench of Justices G.S. Ahluwalia and Anuradha Shukla, sitting in Gwalior, issued notices on September 16 to State authorities including the Women and Child Development Department and the Finance Department.
• The scheme was launched in March 2023 by then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at ₹1,000 per month.
• The amount was raised to ₹1,250 per month in October 2023, a month before the Assembly polls; the BJP manifesto promised ₹3,000 per month.
• Chief Minister Mohan Yadav raised the amount to ₹1,500 from November 2025 — the only hike since the elections.
• The scheme benefited about 1.31 crore women in 2023; beneficiary numbers have dropped to about 1.25 crore as per the 40th instalment.
• Budgetary allocation for the scheme for FY2026-27 was ₹23,882 crore; the petition says the scheme costs more than ₹22,000 crore a year.
• In the 40th instalment disbursed earlier this month, Mr. Yadav transferred ₹1,835 crore to beneficiaries' bank accounts.

Timeline

1. March 2023Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana launched by CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at ₹1,000 per month.
2. October 2023Monthly amount raised to ₹1,250, a month before the MP Assembly polls; BJP manifesto promises ₹3,000.
3. 2023 (post-elections)Fresh registrations halted; BJP returns to power with a massive majority, with the scheme credited for countering anti-incumbency.
4. November 2025CM Mohan Yadav raises the monthly amount to ₹1,500.
5. September 16MP High Court Division Bench hears Sudha Dubey's plea and issues notices to State authorities, giving four weeks to respond.

Who has a stake

• About 1.25 crore women beneficiaries — Continuation of ₹1,500 monthly cash transfer; the petition seeks a stay on disbursement until financial details are shared.
• Madhya Pradesh government (BJP) — Must defend its flagship scheme in court and disclose borrowings, outstanding debt, interest liability and future financial effect.
• Women and Child Development Department and Finance Department — Named as respondents; required to file responses within four weeks.
• Madhya Pradesh High Court (Justices G.S. Ahluwalia and Anuradha Shukla) — Adjudicating whether recurring cash assistance of this scale raises issues of prudent use of public money.
• Sudha Dubey, former Congress councillor from Gwalior — Petitioner; says she filed in her independent capacity though associated with the Congress.
• Advocate Anil Kumar Mishra — Counsel for the petitioner; argues the issue concerns prudent use of taxpayers' money, not politics.

Why it matters

Direct cash transfers to women have become a decisive electoral instrument across States, and Ladli Behna is among the largest, with a FY2026-27 allocation of ₹23,882 crore. The petition forces a judicial examination of whether such recurring transfers deliver lasting empowerment or crowd out spending on education, health, employment and infrastructure in a State relying on market borrowings. The outcome could shape how courts view the line between welfare and election freebies.