Chennai, Feb 16 (UNI) Asserting that the Supreme Court ruling on Electoral Bonds has restored democracy and level playing field for all political parties, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K.Stalin said the Apex Court has rightly held that Electoral Bonds are Unconstitutional and it will ensure transparent electoral process and the integrity of system.
He said the Judgement has also ensured common man’s faith in the system.
In a post on X, reacting to the Apex Court’s landmark ruling, the Chief Minister said “The Hon’ble Supreme Court has rightly held that the #ElectoralBonds are unconstitutional. This will ensure transparent electoral process and the integrity of the system.”
“This judgement has restored the #democracy and level playing field for all political parties. It has also ensured the common man’s faith in the system”, he added.
It may be recalled that a 5-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court has held the Electoral Bonds Scheme as ‘Unconstitutional’ and directed the banks to stop issuing Bonds.
The Bench also directed the SBI to furnish the details of electoral bonds encashed by the political parties.
While directing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to make all donations public within one week of the receipt of the information, the Apex Court directed that all Electoral Bonds within the 15-day validity period shall be returned by political parties to the purchasers.
The five-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr D Y Chandrachud struck down the 2018 electoral bonds scheme which allowed anonymous and unlimited contributions to political parties on the grounds of violating voters’ right to information.
The Constitutional bench comprising CJI, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice B R Gavai, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra said the Electoral bonds scheme has to be struck down as unconstitutional. Amendments to the Income Tax Act provision and the Section 29C of the Representation of Peoples Act are declared to be ultra vires.
‘The amendment to the Companies Act (allowing blanket corporate political funding) is unconstitutional,’ the Bench held.
Leaders of the alliance parties of the DMK also hailed the Supreme Court and demanded that the Centre should disclose the details of the electoral bonds encashed by the political parties without any further delay.
