A court in Bangalore has issued an order to file a case against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, charging her with forcibly collecting donations through electoral bonds. The Jana Praghan Struggle Association filed the complaint against Sitharaman and several others.
Following the complaint, the Special Court of Public Representation in Bengaluru ordered legal action against Sitharaman. Based on this directive, the Tilak City police will now proceed to file a case against her and the others involved.
Electoral bonds act as a means for donating money to political parties. The Union Government launched the Election Bond Scheme in 2017, officially implementing it on January 29, 2018. Under this scheme, any citizen or company in India can purchase bonds from select branches of the State Bank of India and donate them to their preferred political party. The identity of the donors remains anonymous.
However, allegations have emerged regarding unethical dealings between political parties and corporate donors through these electoral bonds. Critics specifically accuse the ruling parties of accepting substantial donations from wealthy businessmen and organizations in exchange for favorable treatment.
The Supreme Court declared the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional on February 15 and ordered the central government to withdraw it immediately. Multiple petitioners sought a thorough investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the Supreme Court, but the court rejected these requests.
The court directed petitioners to file their complaints under common law. If the authorities do not investigate their complaints or submit a report, they can approach either the High Court or the Supreme Court for further action.