While striking down electoral bond scheme, Supreme Court suggested using electoral trusts introduced by Congress-led UPA, calling it an 'effective alternative' for political donations.
The clear timeline set by the Supreme Court suggests that it is conscious about making information available to people before 2024 elections. But do voters have enough time to untangle the web of quid pro quo?
Both bodies flagged concerns before scheme's introduction, fearing it may be seen as 'facilitating' money laundering or that it could violate provisions under Representation of People Act.
BJP’s Baijayant Panda says ‘electoral bonds were infinitely better than suitcases of illicit cash’ while Ravi Shankar Prasad asserts scheme was meant to reform election funding.
CJI-led bench disagrees with Centre’s argument that it is justified to infringe Right to Information of voters for larger purpose of curbing black money in electoral financing.
Supreme Court in its electoral bonds judgment observed that political 'contributions enhance access to legislators which translates into influence over policymaking'.
Verdict, which comes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, says scheme violates right to information of citizens about possible quid pro quo between donor & political party receiving donation.
The scheme, notified by the government in 2018, was pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring in transparency in political funding.
Electoral bonds scheme has been slammed by Opposition over the yrs, but audit reports released by ECI show parties like TMC, AAP & BRS are raking it in via these financial instruments.
The 2 rights are viewed as 2 sides of the same coin. However, debate continues ever since 2017 SC judgment declared Right to Privacy, including informational privacy, to be a fundamental right.
It would be a disservice to the women of Hassan to look at Prajwal Revanna’s alleged abuse of power as a ‘sex scandal’. Allegations against him show what ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’ actually means.
Air India’s new policy, effective from 2 May, introduces new weight limits for tickets in each of the different 'fare families' — Comfort, Comfort Plus, and Flex.
New Delhi has, in past, too, objected to Chinese construction activities in Shaksgam Valley. Work in this strategic region gathered pace after the 2017 Doklam stand-off.
A theme has not yet emerged for BJP & people see lack of a contest, which makes it unexciting. For all these reasons, 2024 is turning out to be an unexpectedly theme-less election.
COMMENTS