‘Opaque and undemocratic’: Netizens, Opposition hail SC annulling electoral bond scheme

Hyderabad: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India on Thursday struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme and all provisions associated with it, calling it unconstitutional. The SC has stated that the anonymity associated with the electoral bonds violates the right to information under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution.

The scheme enabled anonymous tax-free contributions to political parties, routed through public sector banks. The scheme was introduced in 2017 by the ruling government and was implemented in 2018.

Ordering not to issue any more electoral bonds, the apex court has also asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the details of such contributions on its website by March 13. The State Bank of India (SBI) has been asked to submit details of donations to the ECI including details of the political parties, which have received the contributions.

Petitioners moved SC against the electoral bonds

While the Union Government kept defending its scheme of political financing, stating that the transactions were channelised and regulated through banks, various civil rights groups and RTI activists including the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the Communist Party of India (CPI-Marxist) and Congress leader Jaya Thakur had objected to the electoral bonds scheme.

They filed petitions saying that the anonymity of the bonds raised questions about its transparency, accountability and integrity in political funding and interfered with voters’ right to information.

Advocates, activists and politicians react

Netizens, including civil rights groups and advocates, expressed their reactions to the verdict through Twitter (now X) and other social media.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who had also filed a petition challenging the electoral bond scheme, said, “In a very significant judgment which will have a long-term effect on our electoral democracy, the Supreme Court has struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme and all the provisions that were made to bring it into effect in the Income-Tax Act, in the Companies Act etc. everything has been struck down. They have held that this violates the fundamental right to information of citizens to know about who is contributing this much money to political parties.”

Congress Party president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted, “On the day of the launching of Electoral Bonds scheme, the Congress party had called it opaque and undemocratic. Subsequently, in its 2019 manifesto, the Congress party promised to scrap the Modi Government’s dubious scheme. We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court today, which has struck down this ‘Black Money Conversion’ scheme, calling it ‘unconstitutional.’”

Reacting to the verdict, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Another proof of Narendra Modi’s corrupt policies is in front of you. The BJP had made electoral bonds a medium for taking bribes and commission. Today this matter has been resolved.”

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “The Supreme Court has held the much-touted Electoral Bonds scheme as violative of both laws passed by the Parliament as well as the Constitution of India. The long-awaited verdict is hugely welcome and will reinforce the power of votes over notes.”

Public called for transparency in other schemes as well

Here are some reactions from X users, most of whom have hailed the Supreme Court decision.

A netizen Abhishek Nagarkar tweeted, “Now waiting for similar transparency in the PM Care Fund.” Another netizen Chetan Rathod tweeted, “Historic judgment to upheld Fundamental Right of Information to a common voter but the Honorable Supreme Court!”

A Dubey tweeted, “Electoral bond is an unconstitutional provision and the constitutional bench has given the much-awaited verdict and it should be appreciated. This sort of a democratic scam helps weaken the electoral process and democratic values of India.”