The ruling BJP encashed bonds worth ₹6,060.5 crore. The TMC followed the BJP in encashment with ₹1,609.5 crore, which is 12.6 percent of the total amount.
Representational image.
The BJP topped Indian political parties in encashing the now-banned electoral bonds, bagging 47.4 percent of the total share of ₹12,769.01 crore, according to the data published on the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s website on Thursday, 14 March, a day ahead of the Supreme Court-set deadline.
Terming the 2018 electoral bond scheme “unconstitutional”, the apex court had on 15 February directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to furnish the electoral bond data to the ECI by 12 March. The court also asked the ECI to make the information public by Friday, 15 March.
Complying with the top court’s order, the SBI provided the data in two sets, which the ECI published on its website. It can be accessed here.
Click on the image to enlarge.
The data, however, did not reveal who had donated how much to individual political parties.
The first set of data, running into 337 pages, contained the details of 18,871 electoral bonds of denominations between ₹1,000 and ₹1 crore issued from 12 April 2019 to 11 January 2024, including the dates of purchase, purchasers’ names, and the amount.
The second set with 426 pages provided details of 20,421 encashments made between 12 April 2019 and 24 January 2024. It included the political party’s name and bond denominations.
The ruling BJP encashed bonds worth ₹6,060.5 crore. The TMC followed the BJP in encashment with ₹1,609.5 crore, which is 12.6 percent of the total amount.
The BJP’s national rival, the Congress, was in third place with ₹1,421.8 crores, which is 11.14 percent of the total amount.
Public disclosure by ECI of the data relating to electoral bonds as
supplied by the State Bank of India is at this link : https://t.co/VTYdeSLhcg pic.twitter.com/ENSI1C9DPw— Spokesperson ECI (@SpokespersonECI) March 14, 2024
The BRS was the fourth-highest in the country and the topper in South India, encashing bonds worth ₹1,214.7 crore, which is approximately 9.5 percent of the total amount.
It included nine bonds of ₹1,000 denomination, 39 of ₹10,000 denomination, 267 of ₹1 lakh, 310 bonds of ₹10 lakh, 1,181 of ₹1 crore denomination.
The ruling YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh encashed bonds worth ₹337 crore, which was around 2.5 percent of the total amount.
Its 60 bonds of one lakh denominations, 84 bonds of ₹10 lakh, and 328 of ₹1 crore found takers.
The TDP encashed bonds worth ₹218.8 crore. It included 18 bonds of ₹1 lakh, 47 bonds of ₹10 lakh, and 214 bonds of ₹1 crore.
The Jana Sena Party received ₹21 crore through 20 bonds of ₹10 lakh and 19 bonds of ₹1 crore denomination.
Interestingly, none of the Andhra parties encashed bonds of ₹1,000 and ₹10,000 denominations.
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu encashed ₹639 crore or five percent of the total amount. It only encashed 10 bonds of ₹10 lakh denomination and 638 of ₹1 crore.
The AIADMK encashed bonds to the tune of only around ₹6 crore, the lowest among major South Indian parties. It encashed 38 bonds that included five ₹1 lakh denomination, 30 bonds of ₹10 lakh, and three of ₹1 crore denomination.
The Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka received ₹43.5 crore through 35 bonds of ₹10 lakh and 40 of ₹1 crore.
The CPI(M) was the only major party that did not accept donations by electoral bonds. It challenged the scheme in the Supreme Court.
Incidentally, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-based Future Gaming and Hotel Services, owned by controversial ‘Lottery King’ Santiago Martin, was the top purchaser, spending ₹1,368 crore.
Edited by Majnu Babu.
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 12, 2024
May 12, 2024
