SBI submits electoral bond data after Supreme Court warning
Guwahati: The State Bank of India (SBI) finally submitted data on electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday evening.
This comes after a strict order from the Supreme Court, which warned the bank of contempt proceedings for "willful disobedience" of previous deadlines.
The ECI confirmed receipt of the data and will collate and release it by 5 pm on Friday, as mandated by the court.
However, the SBI Chairman and Managing Director is yet to submit an affidavit confirming compliance with the order, though it is reportedly being prepared for submission today.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court rejected SBI's plea for an extension on releasing the electoral bond data.
The apex court criticized the bank for its delay, terming it as a potential violation of court orders.
Also Read: Ex-CRPF DG Sujoy Thaosen appointed chief commissioner of Assam SCRPS
SBI claimed that collecting, cross-checking, and releasing the data, stored in separate sections to maintain confidentiality, required more time. They requested an extension till June 30, well after the 2024 general elections.
The Supreme Court countered this by pointing out that donor details were already accessible at the SBI's Mumbai branch.
The court clarified that the bank simply needed to "open covers, collate details and give information."
Chief Justice Chandrachud further stated that the court did not require a "matching exercise" but just a "plain disclosure" of the data.
Last month, the Supreme Court declared the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional.
The court stated that the scheme violated citizens' right to information. Following this judgment, the court directed SBI to reveal the data by March 6 and the ECI to make the information public by March 13.