In the city of Kolkata, situated in West Bengal, the distinguished economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen expressed his approval of the recent Supreme Court ruling that nullified the electoral bonds scheme, labeling it a scandalous affair.
In a conversation with PTI from Massachusetts, USA, Sen articulated his satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing its potential to augment transparency within the electoral landscape. “The electoral bonds were a scandal, and I find solace in their subsequent abandonment. I anticipate a heightened level of transparency in the mutual support extended within the electoral domain,” remarked Sen.
The Supreme Court, in a groundbreaking verdict earlier this month, invalidated the electoral bonds scheme, citing infringements on Constitutional rights, specifically the freedom of speech and expression, as well as the right to information.
The apex court mandated the State Bank of India (SBI) to divulge comprehensive details of each electoral bond redeemed by political entities to the Election Commission. This disclosure should encompass the encashment date and the denomination of the bonds, with a deadline for submission to the poll panel set for March 6.
Sen posited that India’s electoral apparatus has been profoundly impacted by the intricacies of politics, creating impediments for the general populace to have their voices heard. “The electoral system in India is significantly swayed by the nuances of party politics, posing a formidable challenge for ordinary citizens to garner the attention they deserve in the electoral arena,” he asserted.
The economist contended that the country’s electoral mechanism is shaped by the government’s treatment of opposition parties. “It is molded by the treatment meted out to opposition parties and those the government seeks to constrain. A liberated electoral system, complemented by the unhindered expression and actions of citizens, is a collective aspiration,” highlighted Sen.
Emphasizing that the Indian Constitution aspired to grant substantial political freedom to all citizens without affording any particular community a privileged status, Sen concluded his reflections on the matter.
Coincidentally, P Chidambaram, a senior Congress leader and former finance minister, also lauded the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the electoral bond scheme, characterizing it as a significant triumph for transparency.