BJP, the ruling party at the Centre is in trouble. For, the Supreme Court has directed the political parties to submit details of the donors of Electoral Bond (EB) to the Election Commission by May 31,2019.
BJP is the biggest beneficiary of the Electoral Bond ever since it was introduced in the country for political funding. In 2017-18, the saffron party has received Rs 990 crore in donations of which Rs 342 crore was through small cash donations and Rs 210 crore by Electoral Bond. Congress during the same period has received 168 crore of which Rs 141.50 crore was through small donors and Rs 5 crore through Electoral Bond.
The SBI, in fact, had issued a total of 520 bonds worth Rs 222 crore. Out of this, the 511 bonds worth Rs 221 crore were redeemed. BJP has encashed bonds worht Rs 210 crore. This means, the rest other political parties have received bonds worth a paltry Rs11 crore.
Prasant Bhusan, the counsel for the ADR, told the apex court that the corporate houses dish out money to the ruling party through Bonds and yet remain anonymous to receive a quid pro quo while pointing out that the ruling BJP has received 95% of such donations.
