Electoral bonds verdict
The Supreme Court judgment striking down the electoral bond scheme is assuring to every voter who now feels that his/her right to information about political funding has been restored. But, the case also contrasts how the much lauded RTI Act was/is being continually watered down is for all to see.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala
The top court is certainly the saviour of last resort for democracy in India. One cannot help contrasting how the ruling party has got the lion’s share of funds with how the same party has gone about financially throttling NGOs and think-tanks.
S.R. Patnaik,
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
With the scheme now unconstitutional, the moot question is whether the earlier fund raisings are to be treated as illegal, and whether this money is tainted. Also, will the funds pooled, unutilised and lying in the bank accounts of the parties be transferred to the sovereign account or Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund?
Sitaram Popuri,
Bengaluru
Transparency in electoral funding is one of the basic tools to ensure the healthy functioning of a democracy. That the Supreme Court took nearly six years to see the opacity of the electoral bonds is nothing sort of a lesson for the court itself. The higher judiciary must now ensure better handling of critical cases which affect the health of democracy.
Kshitiz Bhardwaj,
Rewari, Haryana
