In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional on February 15.

The court deemed the scheme unconstitutional, citing concerns that anonymous electoral bonds infringe upon the right to information and Article 19(1)(a).

This judgement mandates all political parties to disclose details of donations received via electoral bonds. 

Introduced by the Narendra Modi government in 2018, electoral bonds allowed anonymous donations from companies and individuals to political parties, raising concerns about accountability and potential foreign interference in Indian elections. 

The apex court's decision also requires the State Bank of India to provide the Election Commission of India with donation details, including donor identities and recipient parties, to be published on the website by March 13, 2024. Additionally, the court has suspended further issuance of electoral bonds and ordered political parties to refund un-encashed bonds within the 15-day validity period. 

The bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud emphasised that contributions made to influence public policy do not enjoy the same right to privacy as personal affiliations.

The Wire spoke with Vipul Mudgal, director of Common Cause, a petitioner in the said case. Watch the interview to know why the Supreme Court judgement on electoral bonds is being hailed as ‘historic’.

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