• Assam Congress Protests Against SBI Over Electoral Bonds Data Delay

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    Assam Congress Protests Against SBI Over Electoral Bonds Data Delay

    The Congress party in Assam has launched a protest against the State Bank of India (SBI) regarding the delay in revealing details related to electoral bonds.

    Digital Desk:  SBI, the sole authorised bank for handling electoral bonds, has requested an extension until June 30 to disclose the details of electoral bonds, raising eyebrows among activists and opposition parties. The Assam Congress party staged a protest in front of SBI’s Dispur branch in Guwahati on Wednesday. Active in the protest, they questioned the need for this delay and suspected an attempt to withhold crucial information until after the general elections.

     

    The Congress party in Assam has launched a protest against the State Bank of India (SBI) regarding the delay in revealing details related to electoral bonds. The demonstration comes three weeks after the Supreme Court nullified the electoral bonds scheme, instructing the SBI to disclose donor and transaction information by March 6.

     

    The party also questions SBI’s intent and sincerity to follow the apex court’s order. It was also alleged that the ruling BJP used SBI as a weapon. 

     

    As part of the ongoing controversy, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a petitioner in the electoral bonds case, plans to challenge SBI's extension plea. The regional leaders, including Mahima Singh and Prabhan Kher, actively participated in the protest, emphasising the importance of transparency in financial dealings.

     

    Why is electoral bond disclosure important to the opposition?

     

    Transparency advocates claim that the Indian Supreme Court's decision to strike down an unclear system of election finance might reveal people engaged in a disputed type of political financing ahead of the country's elections, causing significant tremors in the political landscape.

     

    The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government launched the electoral bond plan seven years ago, fought valiantly in the top court to defend the funding mechanism.