From pharmaceutical drugmakers, healthcare providers, infrastructure as well as realty developers to those in educational services, several companies across industries in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had purchased electoral bonds that were encashed by different political parties.
The bonds, which in effect are donations totalling several crore rupees made by the companies to political parties, were not just for the ruling party, as the instruments purchased by some firms were also for parties that were not even the principal opposition, albeit a vast difference in the sums involved.
Details of the electoral bonds bought by companies across the country emerged with the State Bank of India on March 21, 2024, releasing additional information pertaining to the bond scheme. The Supreme Court earlier this week had asked SBI to make a complete disclosure to the Election Commission of India for publication.
