Electoral Bonds Case Supreme Court: The Supreme Court has ordered State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose the unique numbers of electoral bonds. SC has given extension to SBI till March 21.
SC on Electoral Bonds: The Supreme Court has asked to make all the data of the electoral bond scheme public. On Monday, the court told SBI that it will have to disclose the unique numbers of the bonds redeemed. SBI agreed to follow this direction of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has asked the SBI Chairman to file an affidavit by 5 pm on March 21. He will announce that all the data of electoral bonds has been disclosed, no information has been hidden. During the hearing on Monday, CJI DY Chandrachud once again reprimanded SBI. He said, SBI’s attitude is such that ‘you tell us what to disclose, we will do it…’ The CJI also slammed Adish Aggarwal, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association. CJI said, ‘All these are matters related to publicity and we will not get into it. Don’t make me say anything else. This would be unpleasant.’ Know in 5 points what happened in the Supreme Court during the hearing on the electoral bond case on Monday.
Hearing on electoral bonds: What happened in SC, 5 big things
1. As soon as the hearing on electoral bonds started in the Supreme Court on Monday, SCBA President Adish Aggarwal mentioned a letter. There has been a demand for review of the decision on electoral bonds. On this CJI Chandrachud reprimanded him. The CJI said that ‘Apart from being a senior lawyer, you are also the President of SCBA. You have written a letter invoking my suo motu powers. These are all publicity related matters and we will not get into them. Don’t make me say anything else, it will be unpleasant. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that on behalf of the Central Government, he completely distanced himself from Aggarwal’s letter. There was no need for this.
2. The Supreme Court said that we had asked SBI to disclose all the details including the numbers of electoral bonds. SC told SBI, ‘We want that all the information related to electoral bonds which you have should be disclosed.
3. CJI Chandrachud said, ‘SBI’s attitude seems to be that “you tell us what to disclose, we will disclose”. This doesn’t seem fair. SBI’s lawyer Harish Salve wanted to tell the court how he understood the order. Salve said that he is ready to give everything. If there are numbers we will give them.
4. CJI wanted to know how SBI has stored the data of purchase and redemption of electoral bonds. Salve told that the data is in two files. The bond number is only on the bond which is visible only in ultraviolet (UV) light.
5. CJI Chandrachud said, ‘We will say that SBI will disclose the bond numbers and also that you should file an affidavit stating that you have not hidden any information. The Election Commission will upload the details immediately after receiving the information from SBI.
What is electoral bond case?
The Supreme Court had recently declared the electoral bond scheme brought in 2017-18 for funding political parties as ‘unconstitutional’. The court had asked SBI to make public all the data related to electoral bonds. SBI had to provide information about those who bought the bonds as well as the parties who redeemed them. However, SBI did not disclose the unique numbers of the bonds. Through unique numbers, it will be possible to match which electoral bond was encashed by which political party. The Supreme Court on Monday has asked SBI to provide information about those unique numbers. SBI Chairman will also declare in his affidavit that no information related to electoral bonds has been hidden.
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Everything will have to be told, CJI bluntly tells SBI on electoral bonds