The Supreme Court on Thursday gave the Election Commission of India (EC) two weeks to produce updated data, till September 30, 2023, on contributions received by political parties through the electoral bonds scheme.
Reserving the challenge to the scheme for judgment, a five-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said the ultimate purpose of devising a scheme to sanitise the process of political donations is to reduce the infusion of unaccounted cash elements in electoral system, the need to encourage use of authorised banking channels, and bring in transparency.
“You can design another system which does not have the flaws of this system [electoral bonds scheme]... This should not become a legitimisation of kickbacks and quid pro quo between power centres and the people who are benefactors of that power… The purpose of businesses is to carry out business, not to donate to political parties,” Chief Justice Chandrachud addressed the government.
