New Delhi: The State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday(March 12) evening submitted data Electoral Bonds to the Election Commission of India (ECI), in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order.
Data shared by the State Bank of India is being uploaded in a phased manner, with plans to release it all together on the evening of March 15, sources added.
Additionally, the Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to publish the details of the electoral bonds on its official website by 5 pm on March 15.
A top court bench, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, rejected SBI’s plea seeking an extension of time and ordered it to disclose the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by close of business hours on March 12.
Thrashing its plea seeking an extension of time to disclose the electoral bonds data, the Supreme Court came down heavily on SBI for “willful disobedience” of order, and warned it of contempt proceedings.
The SBI had claimed that it would take a considerable amount of time to collect, cross-check and release the data, which was stored in two silos to maintain secrecy.
In a verdict delivered on February 15, the Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, 2018 as unconstitutional and ordered the SBI to forthwith stop their issuance.
It also asked the SBI to submit details of the electoral bonds purchased since April 2019 to the ECI by March 6 for publication on the official website of the poll body.
“SBI must disclose details of each Electoral Bond encashed by political parties which shall include the date of encashment and the denomination of the Electoral Bond. SBI shall submit the above information to the ECI within three weeks from the date of this judgment, that is, by March 6, 2024,” the SC had said in its February 15 order.
pallavi shetty