Electoral Bonds Data: ECI Uploads Fresh Data From Political Parties After SC Registry Returns Envelops

The Election Commission of India uploaded the remaining data on electoral bonds submitted by political parties that were deposited in the Supreme Court in a sealed cover after an interim order on April 12, 2019

The Election Commission of India on Sunday uploaded the remaining data on purchase and redemption of electoral bonds submitted by political parties that were deposited in the Supreme Court in a sealed cover after an interim order on April 12, 2019.

 

Public disclosure by ECI of the data relating to electoral bonds as returned by the Supreme Court registry can be found at this link : https://www.eci.gov.in/candidate-politicalparty

On Thursday, the ECI moved an application before the top court to retrieve the electoral bond documents it had submitted to the court in November last year.

The ECI told the court that it did not retain copies of the documents it submitted in the court in a sealed cover. The ECI expressed its inability to comply with the court order on Monday that directed the poll body to “forthwith” publish the details of the information which was supplied to the court in November 2023.

In Novemeber 2023, a Constitution bench of the top court had directed ECI to provide the court with comprehensive information on donations received by political parties through EBs till September 30, 2023. Following which, the ECI submitted details in two tranches, containing 309 and 214 sealed envelopes, respectively.

The ECI application moved on Thursday, said that to maintain the confidentiality of the aforesaid data, the poll body forwarded the documents to the court in sealed covers without keeping any copies of the same.

“Thus, no copies of the documents/statements filed by the Election Commission of India before this Hon’ble Court in the instant case were ever retained by it,” the application read.

ECI, thus, requested the court to ask the registry to release the documents so that the information could be uploaded on its website without any delay.

“It is requested that the aforementioned portion of the order dated 11.03.2024 passed by this Hon’ble Court may be rectified/modified and the aforementioned documents/data/information so submitted by the Election Commission of India before this Hon’ble Court in sealed covers/boxes may be returned to it, to enable the Election Commission of India to comply with the directions passed by this Hon’ble Court,” the application said.