Election Commission will disclose details on electoral bonds in time: CEC Rajiv Kumar

However, Kumar did not give a definitive date for when said disclosure would happen.

Srinagar: Stating that the poll body will disclose electoral bonds data on time, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said the State Bank of India (SBI) submitted the details to the Commission on March 12.

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court had scrapped the Centre’s electoral bonds scheme and directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the details shared by the bank on its official website by 5 pm on March 15. The SBI is the authorised financial institution to issue electoral bonds.

“We have three pillars – disclosure, disclosure and disclosure. Disclose everything to people. The commission has been in favour of transparency. The SBI has given (data to) us in time, and we have received it. We will disclose it on time,” Kumar told reporters in Jammu when asked about the details.

Earlier in the day, the SBI reportedly told the apex court that a total of 22,217 electoral bonds were purchased by political parties between April 1, 2019 and February 15 this year, out of which 22,030 were redeemed.

The Supreme Court had struck down the Centre's Electoral Bonds scheme in February which allowed for anonymous funding to political parties. The court had also ordered the SBI to stop issuing Electoral Bonds immediately.

CEC Kumar reached Jammu from Srinagar on Wednesday to review preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir. He said they were ready for the Lok Sabha polls, but didn’t give any time frame when the assembly elections in the Union Territory will be held.

“We will ensure free and fair elections across the country. We request voters across the country including Jammu and Kashmir to enthusiastically take part in the festival of democracy,” he said.