On sunday (17th March): The Election Commission of India disclosed details about electoral bonds, revealing significant financial flows to political parties. The data lacks donor identities, maintaining anonymity in political funding. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling challenges the secrecy of the scheme and advocates for more transparency in political party funding, sparking discussions about regulation.
Today, on 16th March: The Orissa High Court has postponed the hearing on the missing keys of Puri Jagannath Temple’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ for two weeks in response to a PIL. The PIL seeks to present the Justice Raghubir Das Commission of Enquiry report in the state Assembly. The State Government requested two weeks to file an affidavit.
On Friday (14th March):Union Home Minister Amit Shah advocated for reforming the electoral bond system to enhance transparency and accountability in political funding. He respects the Supreme Court’s decision but suggests that modifications could address concerns. Shah defended the BJP’s benefit from the scheme and emphasized the need for improvements rather than its elimination.
On Thursday (14th March):Future Gaming and Hotel Services led by Santiago Martin emerged as the top purchaser of electoral bonds, acquiring bonds worth Rs 1,368 crore, followed by Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited at Rs 966 crore and Qwik Supply Chain Private Limited at Rs 409 crore. The data also reveals extensive involvement of prominent political parties in the electoral bond scheme, reflecting bipartisan participation. The Election Commission, complying with Supreme Court’s directions, released comprehensive information for public scrutiny, enabling citizens to evaluate political affiliations and activities. The State Bank of India provided detailed information on electoral bond purchases and redemptions in adherence to the court’s directive. Additionally, a five-judge Constitution bench unanimously invalidated the electoral bonds scheme and related amendments, disallowing anonymous donations.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has called for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine electoral bonds. He criticized the lack of action by investigative agencies and highlighted the need for impartial scrutiny. The disclosed data reveals diverse contributors to political parties, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in political funding mechanisms.
The Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record Association (SCAORA) condemned its secretary’s baseless allegations on March 13. In response, Vice President Snehashish Mukherjee will now handle official communications. The secretary, Devvrat, made false claims about the Election Committee for upcoming SCAORA elections. This led to the Executive Committee issuing a formal rebuke. The SCAORA has set its 2024 elections for April 29.
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Today (11th March): The Delhi High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case related to irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board’s recruitment process. Khan repeatedly ignored summonses from the Enforcement Directorate, resulting in the court’s decision. The case emphasizes the importance of public figures fulfilling legal obligations.