Among events which have their base in locations apart from main cities, Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been the most important beneficiary of electoral bonds, with over Rs 944.5 crore.
Bonds value greater than Rs 1,100 crore have been issued in locations other than large cities.
Smaller cities and cities which have seen bond issuances and redemptions embody Gangtok and Badami Bagh (close to Srinagar), other than Bhubaneswar.
“With reference to your letter No…76/Transparency/2017/PPEMS/Vol II dated November, 2023 on the subject cited above, we are herewith submitting the information in your prescribed format for your kind information and necessary action,” BJD Treasurer Subash Singh had written to the Election Commission.
The quantities have been all credited to the Bhubaneswar department of the State Bank of India.
The Association of Democratic Reforms had gathered information on electoral bonds by way of a collection of Right To Information (RTI) purposes. They coated information going again to the inception of the scheme to January 2024.
The Election Commission just lately launched the info, which got here from the State Bank of India. It coated electoral bonds from 2019 to 2024. The ADR has collated citywise data. This has been used to determine flows from exterior main metros.
Places excluding New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad have been thought of non-metros.
The BJD acquired a complete of Rs 944.5 crore. This contains Rs 213.5 crore in 2018-19, Rs 50.5 crore in 2019-20, and Rs 67 crore in 2020-21.
The quantities elevated within the years that adopted. Compared to Rs 331 crore acquired within the first three years, the subsequent three years contributed over Rs 613 crore. The highest quantity was in 2021-22 — at Rs 291 crore. Subsequent years additionally noticed over Rs 100 crore every. The information for 2023-24 made obtainable on Sunday was as of September 2023 (chart 1).
The ADR information had revealed a number of smaller cities accounting for electoral bond donations. These embody Gangtok (Rs 43 crore), Lucknow (Rs 14 crore), and Badami Bagh (Rs 1 crore). Bhubaneswar had increased inflows by way of electoral bonds than any of the others (chart 2).
The largest supply of electoral bonds bought stays metro cities. Mumbai accounted for the majority of the bonds bought. Hyderabad, Kolkata, and New Delhi observe.
The complete raised by way of bonds in these cities was Rs 13,222 crore.
The Supreme Court struck down the bond scheme in February. It requested State Bank of India to furnish particulars of the donors. Some particulars have been supplied in the course of the earlier week, together with Sunday. The court docket had famous the nameless nature of the donations had the potential to permit giant company entities to donate to political events, which may then body insurance policies of their favour. Earlier rules restricted such donations. The electoral bond scheme had the impact of eradicating these restrictions.
First Published: Mar 18 2024 | 9:38 PM IST
