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SC asks parties to give details of contributors to electoral bonds
Why in news?
- Supreme Court have passed an interim order directing political parties to provide complete information to the Election Commission of India in sealed covers on every single donor and contribution received till date.
- CJI said the issue of electoral bonds and their lack of transparency raised “weighty issues with tremendous bearing on the sanctity of the electoral process in the country”.
- The directions come in response to the government’s claim that voters need not know from where funds come to parties.
More in news
- In-depth hearing:(1) The court ordered the parties to provide the EC with “detailed particulars of the donors as against each bond”.(2) Court has also asked for amount of each such bond and the full particulars of the credit received against each bond.(3) This includes the particulars of the bank account to which the amount has been credited and the date of each such credit.(4) Details of further transactions made through electoral bonds till May 15 (the last date of their issuance) should be filed before May 30, 2019.(5) The sealed covers will remain in the custody of the Election Commission of India, and it will abide by such orders as may be passed by the court.(6) Apex court further directed the government to delete five extra days from the Ministry of Finance’s schedule of days fixed for issuance of electoral bonds.
- Contrast between Govt’s position and ECI’s stand:(1) Government claimed that the impact of EBS would be known only after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.(2) It should meanwhile be allowed a free hand to execute its policy and the apex court should not pass any orders in the matter for the present.(3) The ECI has expressed reservations about the transparency in political funding.(4) According to the ECI, the right to vote also meant the right to make an informed choice.(5) The Commission said knowing the candidate was only “half the exercise.” The voters should also know the source of funding of political parties who prop up these candidates.
Source
The hindu.