Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked political parties to furnish by November 15 the details of all donations they have received through electoral bonds since the inception of the scheme.
The development comes after the Supreme Court, on November 2, directed the ECI to produce an “up to date” data of funds received by political parties through electoral bonds till September 30, 2023. In a letter addressed to heads of all political parties on November 3, the ECI has sought the detailed particulars of donors against each bond, the amount of each bond, and the full particulars of the credit received against each bond.
The letter also stipulated that the particulars should be sent in a double-sealed cover — one duly sealed envelope containing the particulars and second duly sealed envelope containing the first envelope — to its secretary of the election expenditure division.
The ECI also said the sealed covers should reach it by November 15 evening. It also said the envelopes should be clearly marked as “confidential-electoral bonds”. While passing its order on November 2, the court had said, “This exercise shall be carried out on or before November 19, 2023. Data in a sealed packet shall be handed over to the Registrar (Judicial) of this court.”
The apex court had, in April 2019, declined to stay the electoral bonds scheme and made it clear that it will accord an in-depth hearing on the pleas as the Centre and the election commission had raised “weighty issues” that had “tremendous bearing on the sanctity of the electoral process in the country”.
The electoral bonds scheme, which was notified by the government on January 2, 2018, was pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring in transparency in political funding.
Who can buy and receive electoral bonds?Electoral bonds can be purchased by any citizen of India or entity incorporated or established in the country. Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and which secured not less than 1% of votes polled in the last LS elections or an assembly poll, are eligible to receive electoral bonds. Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked political parties to furnish by November 15 the details of all donations they have received through electoral bonds since the inception of the scheme.
The development comes after the Supreme Court, on November 2, directed the ECI to produce an “up to date” data of funds received by political parties through electoral bonds till September 30, 2023. In a letter addressed to heads of all political parties on November 3, the ECI has sought the detailed particulars of donors against each bond, the amount of each bond, and the full particulars of the credit received against each bond.
The letter also stipulated that the particulars should be sent in a double-sealed cover — one duly sealed envelope containing the particulars and second duly sealed envelope containing the first envelope — to its secretary of the election expenditure division.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The ECI also said the sealed covers should reach it by November 15 evening. It also said the envelopes should be clearly marked as “confidential-electoral bonds”. While passing its order on November 2, the court had said, “This exercise shall be carried out on or before November 19, 2023. Data in a sealed packet shall be handed over to the Registrar (Judicial) of this court.”
The apex court had, in April 2019, declined to stay the electoral bonds scheme and made it clear that it will accord an in-depth hearing on the pleas as the Centre and the election commission had raised “weighty issues” that had “tremendous bearing on the sanctity of the electoral process in the country”.
The electoral bonds scheme, which was notified by the government on January 2, 2018, was pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring in transparency in political funding.
Who can buy and receive electoral bonds?
Electoral bonds can be purchased by any citizen of India or entity incorporated or established in the country. Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and which secured not less than 1% of votes polled in the last LS elections or an assembly poll, are eligible to receive electoral bonds. Follow channel on WhatsApp
