The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the State Bank of India (SBI) in the electoral bonds case over non-disclosure of the electoral bonds' numbers which would help identify the bond [Association for Democratic Reforms and Anr vs Union of India Cabinet Secretary and ors].A five-judge bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said that the SBI has not fully complied with the Court's order of March 11 in which it had ordered the bank to disclose all details concerning electoral bonds."The judgment of the constitution bench clarified that all details of electoral bonds will be made available including date of purchase, name of purchaser, the denomination. It is been submitted that SBI has not disclosed the electoral bond numbers (alpha numeric numbers). Notice be issued to SBI. We direct registry to issue notice to SBI returnable on Monday," the Court ordered.The bench had quashed the Electoral Bonds Scheme in February and directed SBI to submit the details of the political parties that have received contributions through electoral bonds from April 12, 2019, to the Election Commission of India (ECI).The same was to be done by March 6 but SBI then moved an application seeking extension of the deadline.The Supreme Court, however, rejected the request by the SBI on March 11 and directed that the following details of each electoral bonds purchased should be furnished by SBI to ECI;
- Name of purchaser;
- Denomination of electoral bonds; and
- Details of each electoral bond redeemed by political parties including the date of encashment.
The SBI furnished the details to ECI on March 12 and it was published by the ECI on its website on Thursday.
The poll body then moved a plea requesting that electoral bonds’ documents submitted in sealed covers/boxes to the bench during the hearings of the main case be returned to it as it does not have any other copy.
ECI said that it can upload those documents on its website once the Court returns it.
The bench today accepted the suggestion and ensure that the originals are returned to ECI after they are scanned and digitised by the Court.
"The request of ECI to return the data for being uploaded is accepted. Request not opposed by any counsel We direct the registrar judicial of this court shall ensure that documents are scanned and digitised. Once this excercise is complete. The orginal shall be given back to (ECI counsel) Amit Sharma and uploaded on the website on or before March 17. A copy of the scanned and digitised files to be made available to Mr Amit Sharma as well," the Court said.The Court then also noted that the SBI has not disclosed electoral bond numbers and proceeded to issued notice to SBI.The electoral bonds scheme had allowed donors to anonymously send funds to a political party after buying bearer bonds from the State Bank of India (SBI)It was introduced introduced through the Finance Act, 2017, which in turn amended three other statutes - the Reserve Bank of India Act, the Income Tax Act and the Representation of People Act.Various petitions were filed before the top court challenging at least five amendments made to different statutes through the Finance Act, 2017 on the ground that they have opened doors to unlimited, unchecked funding of political parties.Nearly seven years later, the apex court rejected the Central government's stance that the scheme was transparent.
TAGS: Supreme Court SBI (State Bank of India) Electoral Bonds Disclosure
