The Supreme Court of India heard arguments on Tuesday challenging the validity of the electoral bonds scheme, with petitioners claiming that the scheme promotes corruption and does not provide a level playing field between ruling and opposition parties. Prashant Bhushan, the advocate for the petitioner NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), argued that the scheme violates citizens’ right to be informed about the sources of funding for political parties, which is a fundamental right under the Constitution. Bhushan also alleged that the bonds are being given as kickbacks to parties in power, and pointed out that the ruling party received significantly more donations through electoral bonds compared to other parties. The court acknowledged that election funding is a complicated issue. Another advocate, Kapil Sibal, argued that the electoral process should provide a level playing field for all participants and that corporate donations are inconsistent with this concept. The hearing will continue on Wednesday. The electoral bonds scheme was introduced in 2018 as an alternative to cash donations to political parties, with the aim of bringing transparency to political funding. Only registered political parties that meet certain criteria are eligible to receive electoral bonds. The scheme has faced criticism for its lack of transparency and potential for facilitating corruption.
Supreme Court’s Verdict on Electoral Bonds Shakes Political Funding System
