The Supreme Court on Monday directed the State Bank of India to disclose “all information related to electoral bonds” including the alphanumeric numbers on the bond. The Court also directed the bank to file an affidavit after disclosure of all details.
The constitutional bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, hearing the notice issued against the SBI for not disclosing the bond numbers, the bench directed the bank to disclose all details. “We will say SBI shall disclose the bond numbers and also that you should file an affidavit stating that you have not suppressed any information,” the chief justice ordered.
The bench on February 15 scrapped the electoral bonds scheme and called it unconstitutional. The bench directed SBI to disclose all details regarding the purchase of bonds and its encashment by political parties. Also, the bench on March 11 denied a plea by SBI seeking further time for disclosure of details. The bench on March 11 asked SBI to disclose details by March 12 and publish them on Election Commission’s website by March 15.
