Last month, the Election Commission had written to all recognised political parties to comply with the Supreme Court directives
The government, however, did not give any reason for reducing the time period for sale of electoral bonds
Electoral bond is like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India from select branches of State Bank of India
99 per cent of donations received by political parties between March 2018 and January 24, 2019 were as electoral bonds of Rs 10 lakh and Rs one crore.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed all political parties to furnish receipts of political funding received through electoral bonds
The Supreme Court has directed all political parties to furnish receipts of electoral bonds and details of identity of donors in a sealer cover to the Election Commission
The Supreme Court said that the issue of electoral bonds requires detailed hearing and so it will announce the date for final hearing later
AG's comments came during the hearing on pleas challenging the validity of electoral bonds and their usage for political funding
The govt had in 2018 brought in the electoral bond scheme as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of its efforts to bring transparency in political funding
Govt in its fresh affidavit said that the massive amount of political donations were earlier made in cash by individuals or corporates using "illicit means of funding" under the old system
The Centre had said the electoral bonds were introduced on January 2, 2018 to promote transparency
The sale of electoral bonds opens in the SBI branches when Finance Ministry issues notification of the sale for a given period.
EC submits affidavit in Supreme Court, says electoral bonds will impact transparency of political funding
Nearly 40 per cent of total funds mopped through electoral bonds came in October
SBI is the only authorised bank to issue such bonds. A person being an individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly, with other individuals
SBI refuses to disclose details of political parties which received donations through electoral bonds, claims RTI
The government had notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 in January this year
The finance ministry in a statement said the random serial number on the bonds is not visible to naked eye and the same is not even noted by the issuing bank, the SBI
The SBI main branches in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow and Guwahati have been authorised to sell and encash the Bonds
An additional period of 30 days shall be specified by the central government in the year of general election