New Delhi, March 19 -- In the wake of the Supreme Court's directive, political entities across India are adopting varied approaches to disclose donor information associated with electoral bond contributions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the primary beneficiary of such donations, has invoked existing regulations to withhold donor identities from the Election Commission of India (ECI). Conversely, smaller political factions have shown more openness, with some actively seeking out donor details to adhere to the judicial mandate.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of Tamil Nadu, having amassed Rs 656.5 crore through electoral bonds since April 2019, highlighted its proactive efforts to gather donor data in compliance with the court's order, notably securing a significant Rs 509 crore from Future Gaming.
Similarly, the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka, recipient of Rs 50 crore from Megha Engineering, emphasized its routine practice of maintaining transparency with electoral bond transactions, asserting that such contributions are typically pre-discussed with the donors.
Further illustrating this trend, parties like the AIADMK, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), among others, have also made partial disclosures of their donor information to the ECI, showcasing a shift towards greater transparency in political funding.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.