BJP, Congress fail to meet SC deadline on electoral bonds

97 parties in submitted to the EC details of funds they recd via electoral bonds

DSC_8734 Trust deficit: The Election Commission office in Delhi | Aayush Goel

The Bharatiya Janata Party, the Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) overstepped the May 30, 2019 deadline set by the Supreme Court for furnishing details to the Election Commission of the funds received by them through electoral bonds.

While the BJP submitted its report on the donations it got through electoral funds to the poll body on July 6, the Congress turned in the details on June 18. The CPI(M)'s report was received by the Commission on June eight. This has come to light in the information provided by the EC in response to an RTI application filed by Commodore Lokesh Batra (retd).

The Trinamool Congress turned in its details in two tranches, the first one reaching the Commission on May 28, 2019, and the second right on the deadline — May 30, 2019. The Bahujan Samaj Party's details were also submitted on the last date, that is May 30.

Two state units of national parties also overshot the deadline. The Tripura unit of the BJP submitted its details on June three, and the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee sent its report on June 14.

In all, 97 parties submitted to the EC in sealed envelopes, as directed by the apex court, the details of the funds received through electoral bonds. Of the parties that complied with the order were seven national parties, three state units of national parties, 19 state parties and 68 registered unrecognised parties.

Of the 19 state parties, as 12 provided the details after the deadline was over. The JD(U) sent its details on June 14, the JVM (P) and Shiromani Akali Dal on May 31, the Mizo National Front on June 15, the Mizoram People's Conference Party on June 17, the Biju Janata Dal in two parts on June six and June 24, the All India N R Congress 'on June 3, the Sikkim Democratic Front on June 7, the AIADMK on May 31, the Indian Union Muslim League on June three, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam in two parts on May 29, which was one day before the expiry of the deadline, and then on June 10.

“It is a shame that political parties do not care and comply with orders of the Hon'ble Highest Court of the land,” said Batra.

Another interesting aspect of the information provided by the EC is that as many as 68 registered unrecognised parties filed returns concerning funds received through electoral bonds. Batra said it has to be examined if these parties fulfilled the norm of having secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last general election or in the previous Assembly election to be eligible to receive donations through bonds. Small parties have become a matter of concern as it is believed that they are floated to evade taxes and to launder black money.