SC to decide if electoral bonds plea should be heard by Constitution Bench in last week of January

A bench comprising Justices B. R. Gavai and Vikram Nath heard petitions challenging the 2017 amendments on the electoral bonds scheme

The Supreme Court has post petitions challenging the electoral bonds scheme for hearing on the question whether they should be referred to a Constitution Bench in the last week of January.

Justice B. R. Gavai said the petitions have been pending since 2015 when advocate Prashant Bhushan, for petitioners, seeks urgency. The judge said there is no elections due in the near future, but Mr. Bhushan submitted there is an election every two or three months.

The Court was hearing pleas challenging laws permitting funding of political parties through the electoral bond scheme.

Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan on April 5 had mentioned the matter before the then CJI N. V. Ramana saying the issue was critical and needed an urgent hearing.