New Delhi: Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said that the Election Commission of India will follow the Supreme Court’s directions on electoral bonds.
This is the first official body to comment on following the Supreme Court’s verdict calling the Modi government’s electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional, and asking the State Bank of India to reveal details of all the donors who used the opaque scheme. The finance ministry and Prime Minister’s Office – both of which had key roles in drafting the scheme – have said nothing so far.
“In its affidavit to the top court, the commission said it is in favour of transparency and when the order is issued, it will take action as directed by the Supreme Court,” Kumar said on Saturday (February 17).
As The Wire has reported, the EC had taken contradictory positions on the schemes at different times. While it had expressed serious reservations initially, even calling it a “retrograde step”, it then went on to back the scheme in the Supreme Court and argue that it should not be stayed.
The only response from the Modi government – which had vehemently argued in favour of the scheme in the Supreme Court – so far has come from Union law minister Arjun Meghwal. He said that the government is “examining” the verdict and will decide whether to challenge the ruling.
Of the total number of electoral bonds worth Rs 12,008 crore sold between 2017-2018 and 2022-2023, the BJP received nearly 55% or Rs 6,564 crore. Meanwhile, Congress has received just 9.5% of all bonds sold in the five-year period at Rs 1,135 crore. The Trinamool Congress has received Rs 1,096 crore from electoral bonds in this same time period.
