Electoral bonds: SBI affidavit skips mention of unique code to match donations with parties

The State Bank of India, in its affidavit to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, remained silent on whether a unique code on each electoral bond that could be used to match each donation to the party that received it was part of the data it submitted to the Election Commission, reported The Indian Express.

The bank informed the court that it has complied with the order and furnished details of anonymously purchased electoral bonds by contributors and encashed by political parties between April 2019 and February 15, 2024 to the Election Commission.

This comes after the top court had on Monday directed the government-owned bank to disclose details relating to the electoral bonds to the polling body by Tuesday. The top court also ordered the Election Commission to compile the information and publish it on its website by March 15.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said at a press conference in Jammu on Wednesday that the Election Commission will comply with this deadline. “We believe in disclosure, disclosure, disclosure,” said Kumar. “Voters have the right to know everything.”

The court on Monday dismissed the bank’s petition seeking an extension of the deadline till June 30.

The Supreme Court had on February 15 directed the bank to issue details of the political parties that received electoral bonds from April 12, 2019, and submit them...

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