The Supreme Court unanimously struck down the electoral bond scheme, citing violations of Article 19 of the Constitution due to undisclosed political funding. Ex-ASG Vikas Singh emphasized the need to fix the scheme’s flaws highlighted by the court before any revival attempts. The State Bank of India has been instructed to cease issuance and provide information to the Election Commission.
The Supreme Court, led by CJI DY Chandrachud, has declared the Electoral Bonds scheme unconstitutional, invalidating anonymous political party donations. The Court cited violations of the right to information and free speech, mandating disclosure of bond recipients and refunding unused bonds. The scheme, introduced in 2018, aimed for transparency but faced criticism for fostering corruption and favoritism.
The Supreme Court supports the Election Commission’s efforts in managing the voter list for upcoming elections, dismissing claims of inadequate measures to remove duplicate and ghost voters. The Court trusts the Commission’s process, acknowledging the addition of over 2 crore young electors and the use of an IT-enabled system for verification.