Supreme Court of India Upholds Decision Against Electoral Bonds Scheme
In New Delhi, the Supreme Court of India has rejected a petition to review its previous decision that struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme. This scheme allowed for anonymous donations to political parties. The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Paridwala, and Manoj Misra, found no errors in the original judgement. The review petition was filed by advocate Mathews J Nedumpara and others.
On February 15, the Supreme Court had declared the Electoral Bonds scheme unconstitutional, stating it violated voters’ right to information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The court also ordered the State Bank of India to stop issuing these bonds. The scheme and related amendments to the Income Tax Act and the Representation of People Act were quashed, as they allowed donations to remain anonymous.
Electoral Bonds are financial instruments similar to promissory notes, which can be purchased by Indian citizens or entities to fund political parties.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court of India -: The Supreme Court of India is the highest court in the country. It makes important decisions on legal issues and ensures that laws are followed.
Electoral Bonds Scheme -: The Electoral Bonds Scheme was a way for people to donate money to political parties without revealing their identity. It was meant to make political funding more transparent but faced criticism for allowing anonymous donations.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud -: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud is a senior judge and the head of the Supreme Court of India. He plays a key role in making important legal decisions.
State Bank of India -: The State Bank of India (SBI) is a large government-owned bank in India. It was responsible for issuing the electoral bonds under the scheme.
Voters’ right to information -: Voters’ right to information means that people should know who is funding political parties. This helps voters make informed decisions during elections.
