More than two months after the lifting of the electoral bond scheme by the Supreme Court, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) Intelligence Unit was set up to investigate the alleged “quid pro quo” between registered political parties and donors. The application from the two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) and Common Cause claims that the total amount involved comes in crores of rupees and demands the Supreme Court’s supervision of the investigation.
According to the petition, data released by the Election Commission reveals potential quid pro quo arrangements between major corporations and political parties over the past six years through electoral bonds. It suggests that private companies made substantial contributions either as protection money against central government agencies or as bribes for undue favors. Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGOs, emphasized that the information provided by the State Bank of India (SBI) to the Election Commission also indicates instances where ruling parties allegedly altered policies or laws to benefit private corporations at the expense of public interest and the treasury.
In addition, the petition highlights that the information from the electoral bonds is of instances of loss-making companies as well as shell companies that don’t raise the bar visibility and hence may be misused. The OSB expresses its expectation that the authorities will return those donatives to state coffers under the condition that financial flows from bribery to crime have been identified.
The bond of election scheme initiated in January 2018 by the Narendra Modi regime found no place before the highest court of law in India, and it was shut down on 15th February by the Supreme Court. Despite critics’ accusations of “quid pro quo,” it has become a standard defense of the governing officials always to deny wrong intentions. The petition reflects the deeper issues of political funding transparency and accountability that still need to be addressed. It recommends for a strategic and systematic inquiry to uncover the atrocities of corruption and abuse of all kinds.
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