Electoral Bonds: SC slams SBI over failure to disclose bond numbers
Expressing displeasure for not adhering to judgment, the Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the State Bank of India (SBI) in the electoral bonds case over non-disclosure of the electoral bonds’ numbers which would help identify the bond. The five-judge bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, J B Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra said that the SBI has not fully complied with the Court’s order of March 11 in which it had ordered the bank to disclose all details concerning electoral bonds.
“The judgment of the constitution bench clarified that all details of electoral bonds will be made available including the date of purchase, name of the purchaser, and the denomination. It is been submitted that SBI has not disclosed the electoral bond numbers (alphanumeric numbers). Notice be issued to SBI. We direct a registry to issue notice to SBI returnable on Monday,” the Court ordered.
The bench had quashed the Electoral Bonds Scheme in February and directed SBI to submit the details of the political parties that have received contributions through electoral bonds from April 12, 2019, to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The Supreme Court, however, rejected the request by the SBI on March 11 and directed that the following details of each electoral bonds purchase should be furnished by SBI to ECI with following details:
- Name of the purchaser.
- Denomination of electoral bonds.
- Details of each electoral bond redeemed by political parties including the date of encashment.
The SBI furnished the details to ECI on March 12 and it was published by the ECI on its website on Thursday.
The Election Commission then moved a plea requesting that electoral bonds’ documents submitted in sealed covers/ boxes to the bench during the hearings of the main case be returned to it as it does not have any other copy. ECI said that it can upload those documents on its website once the Court returns them.
The bench accepted the suggestion that the originals be returned to ECI after they are scanned and digitized by the Court. “The request of ECI to return the data for being uploaded is accepted. Request not opposed by any counsel We direct the registrar judicial of this court shall ensure that documents are scanned and digitized. Once this exercise is complete. The original shall be given back to (ECI counsel) Amit Sharma and uploaded on the website on or before March 17. A copy of the scanned and digitized files is to be made available to Mr Amit Sharma as well,” the Court said.
The Court then also noted that the SBI had not disclosed electoral bond numbers and proceeded to issue notice to the SBI. Noted lawyers Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan blamed SBI for not fully adhering to the Judgment.
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