Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Journalism of Courage
Premium
This is an archive article published on March 14, 2024
Electoral bonds: ECI moves SC for return of data given earlier in sealed cover
A five-judge Constitution Bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud is likely to take up the ECI application on Friday.
The Election Commission said the State Bank of India had provided the data pertaining to the electoral bonds to the commission on March 12. (Express file photo)
Even as the Election Commission of India Thursday released the data on electoral bonds issued from April 12, 2019 to February 15, 2024, it approached the Supreme Court asking it to return the data on the preceding period so that it could also be made public.
A five-judge Constitution Bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud is likely to take up the ECI application on Friday.
The ECI had submitted the details of poll bonds sold and encashed before April 12, 2019 to the Supreme Court in accordance with the top court’s interim orders passed on April 12, 2019 and November 2, 2023.
On March 11, while rejecting SBI’s request for more time to furnish the data on sale and redemption of the poll bonds, the Bench asked the ECI to also publish the earlier data as well, noting that copies of it “would be maintained in the Office of the ECI”.
Urging the court to modify this part of the March 11 order, the ECI said it had not retained any copies of the documents to maintain confidentiality. In order to upload these details, the ECI said, the court will have to return the sealed cover documents.
While scrapping the 2018 poll bonds scheme, the Supreme Court had directed the SBI to give the ECI the data by March 6. The ECI was instructed to publish the data by March 13.
On Thursday, as it uploaded the data on its website, the ECI said, “It may be recalled that in the said matter, ECI has consistently and categorically weighed in favour of disclosure and transparency, a position reflected in the proceedings of the Supreme court and noted in the order also.”
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Live Blog