SBI sends all electoral bonds data to Election Commission, a day after Supreme Court rap

The Supreme Court had Monday asked the SBI to furnish details of purchasers of electoral bonds and names of political parties that have encashed those instruments by today to the Election Commission.

New Delhi: The State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday submitted details of those who bought electoral bonds and the parties which encashed it since 12 April, 2019 to the Election Commission in compliance with the Supreme Court order.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had set the closing of business hours on March 12 as the deadline to disclose the details of electoral bonds to the poll body.

Now, the Election Commission will have to publish the details shared by the SBI on its official website by 5 pm on March 15.

“In compliance of the Supreme Court's directions to the SBI, contained in its order dated Feb 15 and March 11, 2024…data on electoral bonds has been supplied by the State Bank of India to the Election Commission of India, today, March 12, 2024,” the Election Commission posted on ‘X’.

On February 15, the Supreme Court had declared electoral bonds as unconstitutional. The SBI had earlier this month approached the Supreme Court seeking extension of the March 6 deadline to provide details of electoral bonds to the EC till June 30. 

However on Monday, the SC rejected the application and asked it to submit details by Tuesday evening and asked the EC to upload it by March 15. It also asked the EC to publicise details provided to it by parties on redemption of electoral bonds immediately.

There was no information from the Election Commission about it releasing the data, which the parties have shared with it.

Since 2018, the SBI has sold electoral bonds worth Rs 16,518.10 crore in 30 phases with the ruling BJP getting nearly 55 per cent of it.