Supreme Court Orders Election Commission to Submit Election Bond Details in Sealed Envelope
New Delhi – The Supreme Court has recently ordered the Election Commission of India to provide the details of how much political parties have collected through election bonds. The Chief Justice TY Chandrachud-led five-judge bench issued this order, emphasizing the need for transparency in political funding.
This decision comes after an interim order was issued by the Supreme Court in April 2019, requesting political parties to submit the details of funds collected through election bonds. The five-judge bench noted that the interim order was not limited to that year and that the submission of these details should be an ongoing process.
In response, the Election Commission has directed political parties to submit the financial details received from election bonds by September 30 of each year. Additionally, all of these details are to be submitted in a sealed envelope within two weeks of the deadline.
Although the Election Commission stated that they have only collected details up to the year 2019, the Supreme Court clarified that this order is not limited to a single year. They emphasized that these details should be collected every year to maintain transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
The use of election bonds has been a subject of discussion and scrutiny due to concerns regarding the anonymity of the donors. Election bonds were introduced as a way to promote transparent funding of political parties, but critics argue that it allows for the flow of illegal funds and influences.
By ordering the submission of these details, the Supreme Court aims to ensure that political parties are accountable for the funds they collect and use for electoral purposes. This step is expected to bring greater transparency and encourage fair practices in political funding.
The sealed envelope system aims to maintain the confidentiality of the financial details during the submission process. It ensures that the information remains secure until it is opened and examined by the concerned authorities.
With this latest directive from the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India is expected to collect and analyze the financial details of political parties regularly. This move is a significant step towards the promotion of transparency in the country’s electoral processes.