IMPHAL: The Manipur Congress has denounced the purported failure to disclose details of electoral bonds purchased by the State Bank of India (SBI), alleging it as a move to cover up financial irregularities, scams and the source of “black money associated with the BJP”.
Briefing the media, senior Manipur Congress leader Ningombam Bhupenda Meitei highlighted a recent judgement by a constitution bench of the Supreme Court on February 15, which struck down the electoral bonds scheme as ‘unconstitutional’.
Meitei emphasized that the scheme, introduced by the BJP government in the Centre in 2017, was deemed ‘unconstitutional’ by the Supreme Court.
Meitei informed that the Supreme Court directed the SBI to submit details of electoral bonds purchased between April 12, 2019, and the present date to the election commission of India (ECI) by March 06.
Additionally, political parties receiving contributions through electoral bonds during the same period were also required to be disclosed to the ECI by March 06.
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However, Meitei expressed dismay over SBI’s application to the Supreme Court on March 4, seeking an extension of the submission deadline until June 30.
He strongly objected to this delay and highlighted that the Association for Democratic Reforms filed a contempt petition against SBI for non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive to disclose the electoral bond details, which was filed on Thursday (March 07).
The Manipur Congress leader alleged that the ruling BJP, being the primary beneficiaries of the electoral bond scheme, felt uneasy after the Supreme Court’s decision.
He revealed that political parties collectively received over Rs 12,000 crores since the inception of the electoral bond scheme in 2017, with the BJP alone receiving Rs 6566 crores, constituting 56 per cent of the total electoral bonds.
Meitei speculated that the Modi government might be pressuring SBI not to share the information to avoid potential exposure of its ties with corporates.