Electoral Bonds Disclosure: Supreme Court Constitution Bench to Deliberate Electoral Bonds Disclosure

Supreme Court Constitution Bench to Review Electoral Bonds Disclosure, Election Commission Publishes Donation Details

Today at 10:30 AM, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court is set to address the Electoral Bonds Case. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, will deliberate on whether the State Bank of India should be compelled to disclose the unique numbers associated with Electoral Bonds.

During the previous hearing, held last Friday, the bench expressed concern over the SBI’s disclosure of electoral bond details without including the unique alphanumeric numbers necessary for linking donors to political parties. Recognizing the importance of disclosing these unique numbers in accordance with the February 15 judgment, the bench issued a notice to the Bank, scheduling further deliberation on the matter for today.

In a separate development, the Election Commission of India has taken steps to enhance transparency in political funding. Recently, it published details of donations received by political parties on its website, as mandated by interim orders issued by the Supreme Court on April 12, 2019, and November 2, 2023. This move follows a directive from the Court on March 11 instructing the ECI to make this information publicly available.

Additionally, a noteworthy application has been filed by the “Citizens Rights Trust,” urging the SBI and the ECI to disclose details of electoral bonds totaling Rs 4000 crores sold between March 1, 2018, and April 12, 2019. This application underscores the ongoing efforts to promote transparency in political funding and ensure accountability in the electoral process.