Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, recently expressed his views on the electoral bonds scheme, which was recently deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, citing it as a violation of the Right to Information (RTI). Speaking to the media at GIFT City near Gandhinagar, Gadkari acknowledged the government’s good intentions behind introducing the electoral bonds scheme in 2017. He stressed the need for all parties to come together and find a middle ground.
Reflecting on his involvement in the discussions regarding electoral bonds during Arun Jaitley’s tenure as Union Finance Minister, Gadkari highlighted the necessity of resources for political parties to survive. He pointed out that while some countries have government-funded political parties, such a system does not exist in India, hence the introduction of the financing system for political parties.
Gadkari underlined the government’s aim to ensure that political parties receive funds transparently, with a preference for white money donations. He explained that electoral bonds were designed to maintain the secrecy of donors’ identities to prevent issues in the event of a change in state or central government.
Injecting a touch of humor, Gadkari emphasized the essential role of funds in running political parties, acknowledging the practical realities of election campaigning. Despite the recent Supreme Court judgment on electoral bonds and the directive for the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose comprehensive donor and receiver data, Gadkari reiterated the government’s commitment to transparency. He expressed willingness for all parties to collectively address any shortcomings highlighted by the Supreme Court and work towards resolving them.
The recent uploading of donor and receiver data by the SBI onto the Election Commission website, as per the Supreme Court’s directive, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, holds the potential to significantly impact the electoral process.