n a recent judicial pronouncement, the Congress expressed its approval of the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the electoral bond scheme, emphasizing the ascendancy of votes over financial instruments.
In a communication on X (previously known as Twitter), Jairam Ramesh, the general secretary of the Congress, conveyed, “The Supreme Court has adjudged the extensively publicized Electoral Bonds scheme of the Modi Sarkar as infringing upon both legislatively enacted statutes and the foundational principles of the Constitution of India. The protracted anticipation of this verdict is exceptionally gratifying and will fortify the supremacy of votes over monetary instruments,” he articulated.
Further, he appended, “The Modi Sarkar has been imposing UNJUSTICE upon the PROVIDERS OF NOURISHMENT while favoring the BESTOWERS OF ILLUMINATION,” Ramesh expounded. Additionally, he expressed the hope that the Supreme Court would acknowledge the consistent reluctance of the Election Commission to engage with political parties on matters related to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
“If the voting process is entirely transparent, then why persist with this obstinacy?” he questioned. The Supreme Court invalidated the electoral bond scheme, asserting its infringement on the right to information and the freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in the Constitution,” Ramesh highlighted.
Significantly, the contentious electoral bond scheme faced dismissal by the Supreme Court, citing violations of Article 19(1)(a) of the constitution concerning the right to knowledge and the freedom of speech and expression.
A five-member Constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud delivered two distinct yet unanimous judgments on petitions challenging the scheme. In an effort to augment transparency in the arena of political fundraising, the government introduced the program on January 2, 2018, positioning it as an alternative to monetary contributions to political entities.
Formerly, the scheme allowed for the acquisition of electoral bonds by citizens of India or entities incorporated or established in India, explicitly prohibiting individuals from acquiring electoral bonds individually or in collaboration with others.
