NGO files contempt plea in SC against SBI over its request to extend deadline for disclosing electoral bond details

A Delhi-based NGO on Thursday moved a contempt plea in the Supreme Court against India’s biggest lender, SBI, over its application to extend the deadline to disclose electoral bond details.

On February 15, the Supreme Court in an unprecedented judgement, had annulled the electoral bonds scheme for political funding. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the apex court ordered the State Bank of India to disclose the names of the contributors to the six-year-old scheme.

The NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), represented by Prashant Bhushan, sought initiation of contempt proceedings in the case. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions made by lawyer.

Bhushan mentioned that the SBI's request is expected to be scheduled for March 11, and suggested that the contempt application should be considered simultaneously.

The top court directed the bank to submit the details by March 6 to the Election Commission which must include the date of encashment and the value of the bonds and be submitted to the poll panel.
The SBI moved SC on March 4 for deadline extension plea.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) was established in 1999 by a group of professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad. In 1999, Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by them with Delhi High Court asking for [or requesting] the disclosure of the criminal, financial and educational background of the candidates contesting elections. 

Based on this, the Supreme Court in 2002, and subsequently in 2003, made it mandatory for all candidates contesting elections to disclose criminal, financial and educational background prior to the polls by filing an affidavit with the Election Commission.

The first election watch was conducted by ADR in 2002 for Gujarat Assembly Elections whereby detailed analysis of the backgrounds of candidates contesting elections was provided to the electorate in order to help the electorate make an informed choice during polls. Since then ADR has conducted Election Watches for almost all state and parliament elections in collaboration with the National Election Watch. It conducts multiple projects aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in the political and electoral system of the country.

ADR is an NGO which works to improve governance and strengthen democracy by continuous work in the area of Electoral and Political Reforms.