The Supreme Court mandates the State Bank of India to reveal numbers of electoral bonds, alongside already disclosed purchase and redemption details, marking a significant step in electoral transparency and to identify political coercion and corruption.
On Friday, March 15, the Supreme Court issued a directive to the State Bank of India (SBI) demanding the disclosure of electoral bond numbers, in a move to enhance transparency in the electoral bond scheme. This order was part of ongoing legal scrutiny following the court's decision to deem the scheme unconstitutional.
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, heard an application by the Election Commission of India (ECI), which requested the return of documents previously submitted in sealed covers, as per the court's interim order.
At the start of the hearing, Chief Justice Chandrachud highlighted that SBI had omitted bond numbers in its disclosures, a detail now required for comprehensive transparency. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested notifying SBI for their input, supported by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who emphasized the court's inclusive order for complete disclosure.
Despite initial hesitance and SBI's absence in court, the Chief Justice, persuaded by the solicitor general, agreed to issue a notice to SBI. Concurrently, the bench processed the ECI's application, directing the registrar general to digitize the provided data for public access on the ECI's website, after which the original documents would be returned to the ECI.
This development follows the Supreme Court's landmark judgment on February 15, which struck down the electoral bond scheme for violating the right to information. The court had previously ordered SBI to cease issuing new bonds and disclose details of all bonds sold since April 12, 2019.
As the deadline approached, SBI sought an extension, leading to contempt petitions by various parties for non-disclosure. The court's recent directive aimed to complete the transparency process by March 12, 2024, was adhered to by SBI, submitting the required details to the ECI, which subsequently made the data public.
This ruling underscores the Supreme Court's commitment to enhancing electoral transparency and accountability, further evidenced by the mandated disclosure of electoral bond numbers by the State Bank of India.
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, heard an application by the Election Commission of India (ECI), which requested the return of documents previously submitted in sealed covers, as per the court's interim order.
At the start of the hearing, Chief Justice Chandrachud highlighted that SBI had omitted bond numbers in its disclosures, a detail now required for comprehensive transparency. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested notifying SBI for their input, supported by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who emphasized the court's inclusive order for complete disclosure.
Despite initial hesitance and SBI's absence in court, the Chief Justice, persuaded by the solicitor general, agreed to issue a notice to SBI. Concurrently, the bench processed the ECI's application, directing the registrar general to digitize the provided data for public access on the ECI's website, after which the original documents would be returned to the ECI.
This development follows the Supreme Court's landmark judgment on February 15, which struck down the electoral bond scheme for violating the right to information. The court had previously ordered SBI to cease issuing new bonds and disclose details of all bonds sold since April 12, 2019.
As the deadline approached, SBI sought an extension, leading to contempt petitions by various parties for non-disclosure. The court's recent directive aimed to complete the transparency process by March 12, 2024, was adhered to by SBI, submitting the required details to the ECI, which subsequently made the data public.
This ruling underscores the Supreme Court's commitment to enhancing electoral transparency and accountability, further evidenced by the mandated disclosure of electoral bond numbers by the State Bank of India.