The EC took the stand that it was “not opposed” to the scheme, but was only concerned about the anonymity brought in by it.The Election Commission (EC) has written to all political parties asking them to comply with the Supreme Court order and submit details of donations received till date through electoral bonds by month-end.
The poll panel’s missive was received by all recognised political parties. No party had submitted details of donations received by electoral bonds till last week.
The top court had on April 12 ordered parties to furnish to the Commission “detailed particulars of the donors as against each bond; the amount of each such bond and the full particulars of the credit received against each bond, namely, the particulars of the bank account to which the amount has been credited and the date of each such credit”. This was an interim direction given in response to petitions filed by CPM and NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) challenging the electoral bond scheme.
The petitioners contended that the amendments affect transparency in political funding as it allows political parties not to disclose donor details in their annual contribution reports to the EC. This in turn, they said, affected the citizen’s right to know about contributions made to parties and the source of such contribution.
The EC took the stand that it was “not opposed” to the scheme, but was only concerned about the anonymity brought in by it.
