3 August 2024: The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a series of petitions seeking a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged quid pro quo dealings between companies and political parties through the purchase of electoral bonds, as per a report by the Indian Express. The petitions were filed in response to accusations that the bonds facilitate anonymous political donations, potentially leading to corruption and lack of transparency in political funding.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated, “It will be both premature and inappropriate for the court to do so.” The court also denied requests to direct authorities to recover donations received through electoral bonds and to reopen the income tax assessments of political parties. The bench emphasized that such measures fall under the statutory functions of authorities governed by the Income Tax Act and issuing directions at this juncture would imply a conclusive stance on disputed facts.
The petitions included those from NGOs Common Cause and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), alongside individuals Dr. Khem Singh Bhatti, Sudip Narayan Tamankar, and Jai Prakash Sharma. The ruling comes five months after the Supreme Court invalidated the Modi government’s 2018 electoral bonds scheme, which allowed anonymous political funding.
In its previous decision, a five-judge Constitution bench led by the Chief Justice highlighted the importance of transparency in political funding for voters to make informed decisions. The recent dismissal reiterates the court’s stance on the separation of judicial and statutory functions, underscoring the need for appropriate procedural channels in addressing such concerns.
