SBI provides election body with all details of poll bonds, including serial numbers.
The Election Commission is expected to release the data soon.
New Delhi: Following criticism from the Supreme Court, the State Bank of India has provided the Election Commission with comprehensive details regarding electoral bonds. This includes the crucial serial numbers associated with the bonds, facilitating the tracing of donors to the respective political parties.
The SBI submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court on Thursday, stating that it has disclosed all details regarding electoral bonds. The affidavit mentioned that apart from complete account numbers and KYC details, no other information has been withheld from disclosure.
The bank’s details are expected to be uploaded on the Election Commission’s website soon.
Earlier, the SBI provided two lists to the Election Commission, which were published on the poll panel’s website on March 14. One list included donor names, bond denominations, and purchase dates. The other listed political parties, bond denominations, and encashment dates.
Without the unique alphanumeric code, it was impossible to link the lists and determine which donor had given money to which party. The alphanumeric code can only be seen using ultraviolet (UV) light.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the SBI, India’s largest bank, to reveal all details about electoral bonds, including serial numbers, by 5 pm today. This decision was made in response to a petition criticizing the bank for providing incomplete data.
“We want all information related to the electoral bonds to be disclosed which is in your possession… The SBI’s attitude seems to be ‘you tell us what to disclose, we will disclose’. That does not seem to be fair. When we say ‘all details’, it includes all conceivable data… All details should come out. We want to ensure that nothing has been suppressed,” remarked Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
In its affidavit on Thursday, signed by SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara, the bank stated, “It bears repetition that the SBI is now revealing information [along with that already disclosed] which will show:
The person who bought the bond.
The amount and unique number of the bond.
The party that cashed the bond.
Last four digits of political parties’ bank account numbers.
The bond’s denomination and number when cashed.
The Supreme Court had instructed the Election Commission to upload the details received from the SBI, and this is expected to happen later on Thursday.
The Supreme Court declared the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional and arbitrary on February 15.
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