Govt allows sale of electoral bond for 15 extra days during year, ahead of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls

New Delhi: The Union Government on Monday amended the electoral bonds scheme through a gazette notification, facilitating their sale for 15 extra days.

The Centre has approved the sale of electoral bonds from authorised branches of State Bank of India. The issuance of the 23rd tranche of electoral bonds will begin from November 9 and end on November 15, 2022, ahead of assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Prior to the amendment, only an additional period of 30 days was allowed to be specified by the Centre in the year of general elections. Now under the Electoral Bond Amendment Scheme 2022, which came into being after the issuance of the gazette notification, an additional period of 15 days will be allowed in those years that have state elections also.

"An additional period of fifteen days shall be specified by the Central government in the year of general elections to the legislative assembly of states and Union territories with legislature," the gazette notification stated.

These bonds are sold four times a year during January, April, July and October for 10 days as notified by the government.

Electoral bonds allow political parties to accept money from donors whose identities are kept anonymous.

They are sold in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore.