Electoral Bonds Case Hearing : Live Updates From Supreme Court [Day 3]

Justice Khanna: Does the ECI also have any idea what the total expenditure incurred was in last election?

Sharma: That we have- total expenditure, yes

Justice Khanna: Do you get data with regards to political party expenditures also, separately?

CJI: They have given separate sealed covers for separate political parties.

Sharma: Quantum can be given. The details of the donors is in sealed covers but quantum can be given

CJI: We will not ask SBI to reveal the identity of donors at this stage. That nobody is interested in at the present stage but we would like to know the quantum.

CJI: Submit the data as of the 31 March 2023. You can give it to us even up till 31 Sept 2023.

Sharma: We'll get it

Sharma: We wanted same provision under IT Act to be included in Sec 29C of RPA. So there will be a proper quantification...so we have no data on that and we don't know the source also.

Sharma: We are mostly concerned about the category between 2000-20000. There is no provision whether it is to be done with cash/check etc

CJI: To what extend was your objection assuaged?

Sharma: One concern we had, there are three categories - one is below Rs 2000, other is between 2000-20,000 rs, and the third is above 20,000. Above 20,000 it is to be done mandatorily by way of DD/ECS.

Sharma: There are two letters we had written to the Ministry.

SG: I have the original file with me. RBI and ECI- after their correspondence, there were meetings and meetings and after that a consensus decision was taken.

CJI: Now tell us what is the basis on which the Election Commission had raised objection to the scheme?

Read more about ECI's objections here-