Guwahati: In a significant development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has uploaded data regarding electoral bonds provided to it by the State Bank of India (SBI). This move comes just a day before the deadline set by the Supreme Court.
The uploaded data covers purchases of electoral bonds of three denominations – ₹1 lakh, ₹10 lakh, and ₹1 crore – dating back to April 12, 2019. The information discloses purchases made by both companies and individuals.
The EC’s website now hosts two distinct lists. The first list comprises companies that purchased electoral bonds, specifying the denomination and dates of purchase. The second list details the names of political parties, along with the denominations of the bonds and the dates on which they were encashed. However, there is currently no means of correlating the lists to determine which company or individual donated to which party.
In a statement, the poll body announced the release of the data, stating, “The Election Commission of India has today uploaded the data on electoral bonds on its website as received from SBI on ‘as is where is basis’.”
The data could be accessed here.
The EC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, referencing its consistent support for disclosure in the matter, a stance echoed in the proceedings of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and highlighted in its orders.
During a recent hearing, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud rebuked the SBI for “wilful disobedience of its order” regarding the data’s submission to the poll body by March 6. The court directed the SBI to furnish the data to the Election Commission by Tuesday, cautioning of contempt proceedings otherwise. Additionally, the court instructed the bank’s chairman and managing director to submit an affidavit post-compliance.
SBI, India’s largest bank, submitted the data on the designated date and subsequently filed the affidavit the following day. According to the affidavit, 22,217 electoral bonds were issued between April 2019 and February 15, 2024, prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the scheme unconstitutional and arbitrary.
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