Electoral bonds: Supreme Court to hear SBI’s extension plea today

New Delhi, March 10

The Supreme Court will take up on Monday the State Bank of India’s (SBI) plea for extension of time till June 30 to disclose details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties.

Contempt plea filed

After the Association for Democratic Reforms, the CPM has also filed a contempt petition against the SBI, accusing it of “wilful disobedience” for failing to comply with the top court’s directions to provide details of electoral bonds by March 6.

A five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, which had on February 15 declared unconstitutional the electoral bonds scheme, will also hear a plea filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) seeking contempt action against the SBI for failing to disclose details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties by March 6 as directed by the top court.

The CPM has also filed a contempt petition against the SBI accusing it of “wilful disobedience” for failing to comply with the top court’s directions to provide details of electoral bonds. The party alleged that the SBI deliberately misconstrued the Constitution Bench directions to claim practical difficulties in matching information of those who bought the electoral bonds and those who encashed it. The matter is listed at 10:30 am on March 11 before the Constitution Bench — which also included Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Justice BR Gavai, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra.

In a landmark verdict, the Constitution Bench had on February 15 declared unconstitutional the electoral bonds scheme that allowed individuals and companies to make unlimited anonymous donations to political parties on the ground that it violated Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution which guaranteed right to freedom of speech and expression and included right to information within its ambit.