Give poll bond donor info by tomorrow, Election Commission tells political parties | India News

NEW DELHI: Acting on the directions of the Supreme Court, Election Commission has asked all political parties to furnish in a “double sealed cover” the particulars of contributions ever received by them through electoral bonds until September 30, including the donors’ name against each bond, amount of each bond and bank credit details.
The poll panel, in a communication sent to all party presidents, general secretaries and treasurers on November 3, sought the above details latest by 5 pm on November 15, in a double-sealed envelope clearly marked as ‘Confidential – Electoral Bond‘ and mentioning the name of the political party which is submitting the information.
The first sealed envelope containing the particulars must be packed in a second duly sealed envelope, it said.

“All such parties, which have ever received any donation by way of electoral bonds, since the inception of the electoral bond scheme, are to furnish the details of all such donations received by them by way of electoral bonds till 30.09.2023, along with detailed particulars of the donors against each bond, the amount of each such bond and the full particulars received against each bond, the particulars of the bank account to which the account has been credited and the date of each such credit,” the EC said.
The Supreme Court had, in an order passed on November 2 in the case of Association for Democratic Reforms Vs Union of India, directed EC to produce before it in a sealed cover the data on funds received by political parties through electoral bonds till September 30 this year. It had said the exercise should be carried out within two weeks and data handed over to the registrar (judicial) of the apex court in a sealed cover.
Since the annual audit reports submitted by the political parties do not require them to mention names of the donors or amount contributed by each donor, EC was required to seek these additional details afresh from the parties.