The Election Commission of India has issued a reminder to political parties, urging them to submit details of donations received through electoral bonds by 5 pm on November 15. This reminder aligns with the Commission's November 3 order, which was issued in compliance with the Supreme Court directive dated November 2.
The apex court had instructed the Election Commission to furnish details of all electoral bonds issued since the inception of the scheme in a sealed packet by November 19. Emphasizing an April 2019 interim order, reaffirmed in the November 2023 directive, the ECI has instructed political parties to provide information on donors, bond amounts, and particulars of the credited amount, including bank account details and credit dates.
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Political parties are instructed to send this information to Binod Kumar, secretary of the election expenditure division at the ECI, in a "double-sealed cover" marked as "Confidential-Electoral Bond." The constitutional bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, had directed the ECI to deliver this data in a sealed packet to the registrar (judicial) in the November 2 order.
The data encompassing the sale and purchase of electoral bonds since the scheme's initiation in January 2018 must be submitted. The Supreme Court's November 2 order specified that the ECI should present updated data until September 30, 2023, emphasizing that the April 2019 order was not confined to its pronouncement date. The court has reserved its judgment on the matter.
