Electoral bonds data released on website of Election Commission of India

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has uploaded data on electoral bonds data on its website, after the State Bank of India (SBI) on March 12 had submitted all the details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties since April 12, 2019..A press note published by the ECI said,"In compliance of Hon’ble Supreme Court's directions, contained in its order dated Feb 15 & March 11, 2024 (in the matter of WPC NO.880 of 2017), the State Bank of India (SBI) had provided the data pertaining to the electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 12, 2024. The Election Commission of India has today uploaded the data on electoral bonds on its website as received from SBI on “as is where is basis”.".In a judgment rendered on February 15, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had unanimously quashed the Electoral Bonds Scheme and directed SBI to submit the details of political parties that have received contributions through electoral bonds from April 12, 2019, to the ECI.The Court had ordered that details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties must be furnished by the SBI to the ECI by March 6.The following were the details that SBI was required to furnish:- Details of each electoral bonds purchased;- Name of purchaser;- Denomination of electoral bonds; and- Details of each electoral bond redeemed by political parties including the date of encashment.The ECI was to then publish this information on its official website within one week of receiving this information from SBI.However, SBI filed an application before the apex court for an extension of the deadline till June 30.The Supreme Court dismissed the application on March 11 and directed that the details be supplied to ECI by March 12..On March 13, SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara had informed the Supreme Court (in an affidavit) that the Bank had complied with the Court's direction for submitting information (by March 12) pertaining to electoral bonds to the ECI. .[Read Press Note]