Petition challenging electoral bonds scheme to get hearing, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on April 5 said that it will consider hearing a petition that takes aim at laws authorising the issuance of electoral bonds for funding of political parties. 

“If it was not for COVID, we would have heard these matters…”, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said after Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms, sought urgent listing of the plea owing to the scheme's significance for political funding.

Corroborating his stance, he cited reports saying a Kolkata based company had allegedly made a Rs 40 crore payout through electoral bonds to insulate against excise raids. 

In April last year, the apex court had refused to stay the electoral bonds scheme ahead of elections noting that it provided for political donations through the banking system.

The case was first filed in 2017 after the scheme got activated through amendments to laws.

In the run-up to the 2019 general election, the Supreme Court had passed an interim order directing all political parties to submit details of the funds received by them to the Election Commission, in a sealed cover.