As the Supreme Court has struck down the electoral bonds scheme introduced in 2018 by the central government, many public figures have came out reacting to the verdict.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, welcoming the Supreme Court decision, reminded that the party at the time of its launching had slammed it calling “undemocratic and opaque.” He also drew the public attention to the 2019 Congress manifesto, promising to scrap the Modi government-launched scheme, noting it “dubious.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Congress president said that the party welcomes the Supreme Court verdict, striking down the “black money conversion scheme” of the Modi government.
“We remember how the Modi Govt, PMO and FM bulldozed every institution – RBI, Election Commission, Parliament and Opposition to fill BJP”s coffers. No wonder, 95% of the funding under this scheme was received by BJP. We hope that Modi Govt will stop resorting to such mischievous ideas in future and listen to the Supreme Court so that Democracy, Transparency and level-playing field persists” Mallikarjun Kharge wrote.
On the day of the launching of Electoral Bonds scheme the Congress party had called it opaque and undemocratic. Subsequently in its 2019 Manifesto Congress Party promised to scrap Modi Govt”s dubious scheme.
We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court today, which has struck…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 15, 2024
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh while reacting to the Supreme Court verdict noted that the ruling will “reinforce the power of votes over notes.” In a post shared on X, the Congress leader said the verdict is “hugely welcome”. “The Modi Sarkar has been inflicting ANYAY upon ANYAY on the Annadatas while privileging the Chandadatas,” he wrote.
Jairam Ramesh further raised the issue of the Election Commission’s refusal to meet political parties on the issue of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), expressing his hope that the Supreme Court to take note of it. “If everything is transparent in the voting process then why this obstinacy?, he further asked.
The Supreme Court has held the much-touted Electoral Bonds scheme of the Modi Sarkar as violative of both laws passed by Parliament as well as the Constitution of India. The long-awaited verdict is hugely welcome and will reinforce the power of votes over notes. The Modi Sarkar…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 15, 2024
Noting that the electoral bond scheme is a medium for the BJP to take bribes and commissions, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reacted to the Supreme Court verdict and said, “Another proof of Narendra Modi”s corrupt policies is in front of you. BJP had made electoral bonds a medium for taking bribes and commissions. Today this matter has been approved.”
नरेंद्र मोदी की भ्रष्ट नीतियों का एक और सबूत आपके सामने है।
भाजपा ने इलेक्टोरल बॉण्ड को रिश्वत और कमीशन लेने का माध्यम बना दिया था।
आज इस बात पर मुहर लग गई है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 15, 2024
The Secretary-general of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury took to X, welcoming the Supreme Court decision. “Glad that this unanimous verdict of the Supreme Court bench has upheld our contention. Congratulations to our Counsel Shadan Farasat and others who effectively argued the case. The Communist leader wrote. In a video shared by the news agency ANI, the CPM leader was seen saying that the CPM was the only petitioner against the electoral bonds. “The only political party who had the locus-standi to argue against the electoral bonds. As a matter of principle, we are the only party which did not accept electoral bonds. We consider electoral bonds as a legalisation of political corruption,” he said.
#WATCH | On the Supreme Court”s verdict on the Electoral Bond scheme, CPI(M) Secretary-General Sitaram Yechury says, “CPM was the only petitioner, the only political party who had the locus-standi to argue against the electoral bonds. As a matter of principle, we are the only… pic.twitter.com/JFzI3fzhzV
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2024
Advocate Shadan Farasat talking about their petition said that the amendments which were the basis of the scheme have been struck down from different enactments like the Income Tax Act and others. “Supreme Court agreed with our submissions,” he said to the ANI.
#WATCH | On the Supreme Court”s verdict on the Electoral Bond scheme, Advocate Shadan Farasat says “Supreme Court has unanimously struck down the electoral bond amendments. The amendments which were the basis of the scheme have been struck down from different enactments like the… pic.twitter.com/DHd1SYEyfP
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2024
The senior supreme court advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal while speaking to the ANI made a detailed analysis of the electoral bond. “This whole scheme which was the brainchild of my late friend Arun Jaitley was in fact choreographed to enrich the BJP. Because everybody knew that the BJP was in power and that any donations through the electoral bond scheme would come to the BJP. But the interesting part is that this electoral bond scheme had nothing to do with elections. It was really the bonding between the corporate sector and the BJP which received the largest number of donations. And the donations they received over the years amounted to about five to 6000 cores,” he said.
#WATCH | On the Supreme Court”s verdict on the Electoral Bond scheme, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal says, “This is a huge ray of hope not just for a, b or c political party but for democracy itself. It”s a huge ray of hope for the citizens of this country. This whole scheme which… pic.twitter.com/Qn2TE8a0aH
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2024