The Election Commission on Sunday disclosed the submissions made by political parties regarding electoral bonds. These encompass the information provided to the Supreme Court in sealed envelopes, comprising declarations by both recognised national and state parties, as well as other unrecognised parties, regarding the specifics of bonds they have received.
While the majority of political parties have solely provided a chronological breakdown of the value of Electoral Bonds (EBs) they cashed in, eleven recognised parties - namely, DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), ADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), SDF (Sikkim Democratic Front), JDS (Janata Dal Secular), JKNC (Jammu and Kashmir National Conference), Maharashtrawadi Gomtak Party, MGP Goa (Goa), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party, National Congress Party (NCP), Janata Dal (United) - have included the names of donors along with the amounts they contributed.
JD(U) on Rs 10 crore received from unknown donors
The Janata Dal United (JDU) revealed Bharti Airtel and Shree Cement as donors, contributing a total of ₹3 crore. However, on the donations received before the SC order in 2019, JD(U) provided a bizarre explanation, a letter of which is now going viral.
For the donations worth Rs 10 crore received on April 10, 2019, the JD(U) said they were not aware of the donors and they did not even try to know who the donors were.
"We are not aware about the details of the Donors neither we know nor we tried to know because when we received the Bonds, order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court was not in existence and only the Gazette Notification of the Govt of India was in operation," the party said.
Explaining how they received the bonds, JD(U) said, "Somebody came to our office on 03-04-2019 at Patna and handed over a sealed envelope and when it was opened we found a bunch containing 10 Electoral Bonds of Rupees One Crore each.
Donors of other political parties
Apart from JD(U), in the instance of ADMK, the party acquired a sum of ₹6.05 crore through Electoral Bonds, of which ₹5 crore originated from Chennai Super Kings. Lakshmi Machine Works emerged as another major contributor to ADMK. JDS secured ₹50 crore from MEIL and ₹22 crore from the Embassy Group.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference was funded with ₹50 lakh from Bharti Group, while Sikkim Democratic Front obtained donations totaling ₹50 lakh from Alembic Pharma. MGP Goa secured ₹1.25 crore from VM Salgaoncar and Brothers.
San Beverages, SK Traders, and BS Traders emerged as primary contributors to the Samajwadi Party, providing electoral bonds between April 4 and May 7, 2019.
In 2019, the Aam Aadmi Party received ₹3 crore from Bajaj Group and ₹1 crore from Torrent Pharmaceuticals.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) among national parties, and the Communist Party of India, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Indian Union Muslim League, and the Kerala Congress among state parties, stated that they did not receive any Electoral Bonds (EBs). Other national parties have disclosed the amounts without specifying the donors.
