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Saturday, January 3, 2026
TopicElectoral bonds

Topic: electoral bonds

An electoral bond is a financial instrument for making donations to political parties. According to the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018, it is a bond issued in the nature of a promissory note, which shall be bearer in character. A bearer instrument is one which does not carry the name of the buyer or payee, no ownership information is recorded and the holder of the instrument (i.e. political party) is presumed to be its owner.

The scheme allows individuals, who are citizens of India, and domestic companies to donate these bonds — issued in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 1 crore — to political parties of their choice. The Supreme Court of India on February 15, 2024, struck down the electoral bonds scheme for anonymous funding to political parties as “unconstitutional”.

22,217 electoral bonds bought from April 2019 to 15 February 2024 — SBI’s compliance affidavit in SC

ThePrint Team -
SBI files affidavit saying it has furnished all details of electoral bonds to EC as ordered by SC. Top court had scrapped 7-year-old electoral funding scheme on 15 February.

Dear CJI, Indian voters’ ability to make an informed choice in 2024 elections is in your hand

Kapil Komireddi -
For the Supreme Court to bless the SBI’s plea for an extension in electoral bonds case until 30 June would be tantamount to stamping on the spirit of democracy while performing its rituals.

Voters’ right to information in electoral bonds case can’t be subverted till polls are over

Bishwajit Bhattacharyya -
The issues raised by the SBI do not appear to be germane to the Supreme Court’s direction. The court’s directions brook no ambiguity: furnish information from record.

SBI’s request for more time on electoral bond disclosures based on ‘erroneous reading’ of SC order

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Former government officials and bankers involved with the electoral bonds scheme say SBI can’t match donors and receivers in any case, but is using this to justify the delay.

SBI stalling EBS disclosure reeks of political pressure. Deprives Indians of a sacred right

Sunil Fernandes -
Considering the exclusive nature of this information, one would have expected it to act with promptitude and disclose the relevant information, rather than applying for an extension.

SBI should make electoral bond disclosures before polls. Delay will undo SC’s transparency push

ThePrint Team -
ThePrint view on the most important issues.

SBI seeks extension till 30 June to furnish details of Electoral Bonds before Supreme Court

PTI -
The plea stated that due to stringent measures taken to ensure donors' anonymity, 'decoding' the electoral bonds and matching donors to the donations made would be a complex process.

From NOTA to win against electoral bonds, how IIM-A professors started ADR to fight for poll reforms

+TFP Amogh Rohmetra -
Non-profit organisation Association for Democratic Reforms on a mission to 'reduce money and muscle power in political system and make political parties more accountable, transparent'.

Don’t expect Supreme Court to be India’s Opposition. Its job isn’t that

Vir Sanghvi -
I’m glad the Chandigarh farce was called out. I’m pleased too that the SC went back to constitutional first principles in electoral bonds case. But don’t expect it to act as a force against the govt.

Our take on farmers protest, Modi in Middle East and electoral bonds – in 50 words

ThePrint Team -
ThePrint view on the most important issues this week.
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