New Delhi: A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud on March 15 ordered SBI to publish electoral bond numbers, which reveal the link between donors and political parties. 

The apex court said the judgment of the Constitution bench clarified that all details of electoral bonds will be made available including date of purchase, name of purchaser, and the denomination. 

It noted that SBI has not disclosed the electoral bonds (unique alphanumeric numbers) and issued notice to the bank seeking a response by March 18.

EC To Get Sealed E-Bonds Back, Court Allows Return

The apex court was hearing a plea moved by Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking the return of electoral bonds documents handed over to the apex court in sealed cover/sealed boxes on two occasions.

SC allowed return of electoral bonds data submitted by ECI in sealed cover to the poll body by Saturday evening. It ordered the ECI to upload the same on its website by Sunday evening, march 17.

The poll panel had handed over a sealed cover with 106 sealed envelopes and sealed boxes containing 523 sealed envelopes on two occassions following the judicial orders of April 2019 and November 2023.

In its application, the poll panel pointed out that the order specified that duplicates of the papers it provided to the apex court in sealed envelopes during the proceedings should be retained at the Election Commission's headquarters. 

The EC mentioned that it had not retained any copies of the documents and asked the court in its application for their return to ensure compliance to the court order. 

The poll panel further mentioned that it can only upload them for the public after getting it back. 

What has Happened So Far? 

Striking down the electoral bonds scheme, the Supreme Court asked the State Bank of India to furnish details of the electoral bonds to the Election Commission. It also directed the poll panel to upload the electoral bonds details on its website. 

Complying with the court order, the SBI furnished electoral bonds details to the Election Commission on March 12. Subsequently, the poll panel uploaded the data it received from the bank on its website on March 14.  

The Election Commission said on Thursday that it had, in compliance with the Supreme Court's directions, uploaded the data on electoral bonds on its website as received from SBI on "as is where is basis".