By: Moneycontrol News March 13, 2024
A total of 22,217 electoral bonds were purchased during the period of a April, 2019 till 15 February 2024. Within this, 3,346 bonds were purchased between 1 April , 2019 and 11 April, 2019 and out of these 1,609 bonds were redeemed.
Further, 18,871 bonds were purchased between 12 April, 2019 and 15 February, 2024, according to the affidavit. Of this, 20,421 bonds were redeemed. Thus, of the total 22217 bonds purchased, 22, 030 bonds were redeemed.
On March 11, the Supreme Court dismissed the request of SBI seeking extension till June 30, 2024 to disclose details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties, including the date of encashment and the denomination of the electoral bond. SBI has been directed to disclose details by the close of business hours of March 12.
The apex court had directed the bank to disclose details of the bonds encashed by political parties to the Election Commission by the close of the business hours on March 12, warning the country's largest public sector lender that the court may proceed against it for "wilful disobedience" if it failed to comply with its directions and deadlines.
A five-judge bench of the court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, on March 11 said it had asked the SBI to do a “plain disclosure” as per the court's judgment. The top court also directed the Election Commission to publish information shared by SBI by 5 PM on March 15.