Electoral Bonds data Highlights: SC orders SBI to disclose unique numbers by March 21, says ‘should not be selective’

Several political parties declined to share details of electoral bond donors citing various legal provisions, while others said they received the funding instruments through "drop box" or by post without any name.

The DMK, which received most of its donations from a lottery firm, reached out to its donors to seek details of the electoral bonds as demanded by the Supreme Court in 2019.

The BJP cited the amendments to the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the relevant portions of the Reserve Bank of India Act and the Income Tax Act for not revealing its donors.

"It is duly submitted that the electoral bonds were introduced with the aim of bringing only accounted for funds in political funding while protecting the donors from any consequences, therefrom," the BJP said in its letter to the Election Commission.

The Congress shot off a letter to the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking details of donors of electoral bonds, the amount, the bank account in which it was credited and the date.

The SBI responded to the Congress that the details of the electoral bonds were available with the political parties and shared the statement of the bank account which was shared with the Commission.

The Samajwadi Party shared details of bonds of relatively smaller amounts of ₹1 lakh and ₹10 lakh, but merely mentioned that 10 bonds of ₹1 crore each were received by post without any name.

The DMK, which received almost 77 per cent of its funds from lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming, said it had reached out to the donors of the party to get details of the donations they had made. (PTI)

As an institution, our shoulders are "broad enough", the Supreme Court said on Monday as the Centre flagged social media posts against the court intended to embarrass it after its orders in Electoral Bonds cases.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, who was heading a five-judge Constitution bench hearing the electoral bonds case, said once the court delivers a judgement, it becomes nation's property, open for debate.

It said the apex court was only concerned about enforcing the directions given in its February 15 judgement.

In its landmark verdict on that day, the top court had scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and ordered disclosure by the Election Commission of donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients by March 13.

It had directed that the State Bank of India shall submit details of the electoral bonds purchased since the April 12, 2019 interim order of the court till date to the EC. (PTI)

BSP president Mayawati on Monday hailed the Supreme Court judgment scrapping the electoral bond scheme as "important" and said continuous efforts were necessary to protect the Constitution and democracy.

In a series of posts on X, the BSP president also said that her party had stayed away from using the money power of big capitalists and rich people and, when in power, worked for the welfare of the poor and backward classes.

In contrast, her rival parties mostly worked for their selfish interests, she alleged.

"The latest decision of the Supreme Court in connection with the process of diverting the country's politics and 'janmat' away from public interest and public opinion through the money power arising from secret electoral bonds is important, but continuous efforts are necessary to protect the Constitution and democracy," she said. (PTI)

CJI Chandrachud rebuked Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President and Senior Advocate Adish Aggarwala for his letter seeking suo motu review of the Electoral Bonds judgment.

"Apart from being a senior counsel, you are president of SCBA. You have written a letter asking me to invoke my suo motu powers. These are all publicity-related, we will not get into this. Do not make me say anything more...," the CJI was quoted as saying when Aggarwala sought to mention his letter before the bench.

CJI Chandrachud directed the SBI to provide details of electoral bonds purchased and political parties who received contributions through Electoral Bonds from April 12, 2019, Bar and Bench reported.

The Supreme Court ordered: “This Court had directed disclosure of information on Electoral Bonds scheme to give a logical and complete end to the proceedings and thus issued operative directions in para b and c of the judgment. Para b requires SBI to furnish details of EB purchases from April 12, 2019, till the date of judgment. It shall include name, denomination etc. In para c, we sought directions of political parties who received funding through electoral bonds and SBI was to disclose details of each bond encashed by political parties including date of such encashment...."

On electoral bonds number, the Supreme court said, “There is no manner of doubt that SBI shall make disclosure of all information with it and it shall include the details of electoral bond numbers or the alpha numeric numbers with it." A distinct alphanumeric code, assigned to each bond, will help in correlating electoral bond donors with the respective recipient parties.

The Supreme Court on Monday said the State Bank of India (SBI) can't be selective and has to disclose all "conceivable" electoral bond details in its possession, including unique bond numbers that would disclose the link between the buyer and the recipient political party.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the apex court had, in its verdict in the electoral bonds case, asked the bank to disclose all the details of the bonds and it should not wait for further orders on this aspect.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and his arch-rival Lalu Prasad's RJD on Monday traded charges over money received through electoral bonds, accusing each other of corruption.

RJD spokesperson Mrityunjai Tiwari targeted the chief minister's party over reported disclosure to the Election Commission that "a bunch of papers", which turned out to be electoral bonds worth ₹10 crore, were handed over at the JD(U) office here, in April 2019, by an unknown person.

Tiwari said, “The submission makes it clear that while the BJP has itself indulged in corruption through electoral bonds, it has also helped its allies get pecuniary benefits. BJP and JD(U) were in alliance in 2019.” (PTI)

“It's a fact that contesting elections requires money", Union Minister Nitin Gadkari supported the Electoral Bond Scheme developed when the late Arun Jaitley was India's finance minister, saying scrapping this plan will attract black money. Read here.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the Executive Chairperson of Biocon Ltd, has clarified that her Bengaluru-based biopharmaceuticals firm did not make any donations to political parties using electoral bonds. However, she acknowledged purchasing electoral bonds at a personal level to donate to several parties, including the former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular). Read here.

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose all details to the Election Commission of India which are in its possession, including the Electoral Bonds' unique alphanumeric numbers corresponding to each bond.

A five-judge Constitution bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked SBI's Chairman to file a compliance affidavit 5 pm of March 21.

The Chairman has to file affidavit indicating that SBI has disclosed all details of Electoral Bonds which were in its possession and custody and no details have been withheld, the court said. (ANI)

The Supreme Court of India on Monday rejected a plea to order the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose information about electoral bonds purchased and redeemed before April 12, 2019. It has asked the bank to disclose all details and to include the electoral bond numbers.

“SBI should not be selective in disclosing the details. We want all information related to the electoral bonds to be disclosed which is in SBI possession," the court said in its judgment. Read here.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan said, "Today, the Supreme Court heard its notice to SBI, asking them why they had not disclosed the alphanumeric number on each bond of the purchaser, as well as of the party which redeemed those bonds...The Court passed an order saying that they must disclose it forthwith and the chairman of SBI is to file an affidavit by 5 pm on 21st March, saying that he has disclosed all the details, including the alphanumeric numbers, and that would have to be uploaded by the Election Commission forthwith, immediately..."

On SCBA President Adhish Aggarwala writing a letter to CJI DY Chandrachud for suo motu review of Electoral Bonds judgement, CJI said these are all publicity-related issues and we will not get into this.

CJI told Aggarwala, "Apart from being a senior counsel, you are president of SCBA. You have written a letter invoking my suo Motu powers. These are all publicity-related… and we will not get into this. Do not make me say anything more. It will be distasteful." (ANI)

Supreme Court directs SBI to disclose all details of Electoral Bonds in its procession, including the unique alphanumeric number and the serial number, if any, of the bonds redeemed.

Supreme Court directs the SBI Chairman to file an affidavit by 5 pm, Thursday indicating that SBI has disclosed all details of Electoral Bonds which were in its possession and custody and no details have been withheld.

Supreme Court says Election Commission shall upload the details on its website forthwith upon receipt of information from the SBI. (ANI)

SC : Mr. Harish Salve says that there is no reservation on the part of the SBI in disclosing all details. To obviate any future controversy, we direct the SBI Chairman to file an affidavit by 5 PM Thursday indicating that SBI has disclosed all details of electoral bonds which were in its possession and custody and no details have been withheld, reported LiveLaw.

Supreme Court rejects a plea to order SBI to disclose information about electoral bonds purchased and redeemed before April 12, 2019 as well. 

Supreme Court says it will ask SBI to disclose the Electoral Bond numbers and also that it should file an affidavit stating that it has not suppressed any information.

SBI says it will give every bit of information it has and the bank is not holding back any information it has. (ANI)

Supreme Court says it wants all information related to the Electoral Bonds to be disclosed which is in SBI possession. (ANI)