Supreme Court To Hear Plea Challenging Centre's Recent Notification Allowing Electoral Bonds' Sale For Polls In Gujarat, HP

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea challenging the recent notification of the Union Government which authorised the sale of fresh tranche of electoral bonds for the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

The petition was mentioned before Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for urgent listing. The counsel sought urgent listing saying that that the sale of Electoral Bonds will be over soon.

"We will list it before the appropriate Bench", CJI Chandrachud told the lawyer.

"But, they are issuing...against the scheme. It will get over", the counsel pressed.

"We will list the matter", CJI assured.

As per the notification, the sale of electoral bonds is allowed from November 9 to November 15.

It may be noted that few petitions are pending in the Supreme Court challenging the provisions of Finance Act 2017 which paved the way for anonymous electoral bonds. On October 14, a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna had posted those petitions to December 6.

In March 2021, the Supreme Court had rejected an application to stay the sale of electoral bonds ahead of the assembly polls in certain states.