In a significant development concerning the electoral bonds case, the State Bank of India (SBI) is set to seek an extension till June 30 for the full disclosure of electoral bonds details. The Supreme Court will convene on Monday to deliberate on SBI’s plea, even as the central bank faces accusations of contempt in the same matter.
A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will preside over the proceedings, addressing SBI’s request for an extended deadline to reveal the specifics of electoral bonds encashed by political parties thus far. This move follows the recent decision by the apex court to invalidate the electoral bonds scheme, branding it as “unconstitutional.”
Apart from considering the plea for an extension, the Supreme Court bench will also review a separate petition seeking contempt action against SBI. This development follows the landmark verdict delivered on February 15, which declared the government’s electoral bonds scheme as unconstitutional and mandated the disclosure of donors, amounts donated, and recipients by March 15. The scheme was ordered to be terminated immediately, with SBI instructed to submit the details of electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019, by March 6 for publication by the Election Commission by March 13.
However, SBI has requested an extension, citing the time-consuming process of retrieving and matching data from various sources. This plea has prompted allegations of deliberate delay from NGOs Association for Democratic Reforms and Common Cause, leading to a separate plea for contempt proceedings against SBI. The petitioners argue that SBI’s eleventh-hour application aims to prevent public disclosure of donor information before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In response, the contempt plea accuses SBI of willfully disobeying the court’s February 15 order, which directed the bank to submit electoral bonds details to the Election Commission by March 6.
Sources By Agencies