New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Sunday (March 17) defended the electoral bond scheme, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court last month, saying that it is just an “experiment” and “questions are raised when a new thing comes up”.

“It is not that electoral bonds have suddenly been introduced today, it (such scheme) was brought earlier also. Whenever a change is introduced, questions are raised. Questions were also raised when the EVMs (electronic voting machines) were introduced…It is natural,” Hosabale, who was speaking to the media after an annual meeting of RSS’ apex decision-making body in Nagpur, said. 

“But time will tell how beneficial and effective the new system is. So, we should allow such experiments to take place. That is the Sangh’s view,” he was quoted as saying. 

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday released fresh data that was submitted to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover. On Thursday, EC had released the State Bank of India (SBI)-provided data on the electoral bonds on its website, in compliance with the Supreme Court's directive.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received a total of Rs 6,060.5 crore in electoral bonds making it the largest recipient of these 'anonymous' donations by a large margin compared to all other national and regional parties.

In its letter to the EC, which is part of the sealed cover data unveiled by the commission on its website, the BJP has said that as it was “not required to maintain the names and particulars of the donors of the Electoral Bonds and as such the Party has not maintained these particulars”. Consequently, the donors’ names are not listed but the bonds encashed are.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.