Blog: Please Hear and Read too

Friday 19 March 2021

Please Hear and Read too

Context :

Supreme Court to hear plea to stop fresh sale of electoral bonds on March 24

Extract :

In a new application, Association for Democratic Reforms has requested the court to put a restraint on sale of these bonds ahead of the assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear next week a plea to stop fresh sale of electoral bonds from April 1 till the top court decides on the validity of these bonds.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, fixed Wednesday next week to hear a new application by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which has requested the court to put a restraint on sale of these bonds ahead of the assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the ADR, mentioned the matter before the bench, which also included justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, for an urgent listing of the case.

Solicitor general (S-G) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government, informed the bench that attorney general KK Venugopal appeared in this case on behalf of the government and that they had no objection to the plea being heard next week.

“In a matter like this, we are sure you will find some time,” the CJI told the S-G, fixing the matter for a hearing on March 24.

The new application has been moved in a pending petition on this issue by the same organisation.

The plea has stated: “There is a serious apprehension that any further sale of electoral bonds before the upcoming state elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, would further increase illegal and illicit funding of political parties through shell companies. Thus, the petitioner seeks a direction that no further opening of window for the sale of electoral bonds be allowed during the pendency of the instant writ petition.”

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Dear CJI Hon Shri Bobdeji,

It is no secret that the way current Electoral Bond Scheme is devised, it is neither transparent nor above suspicion in respect of CRONY CAPITALISM

While I am sure, you would give the applicants plenty of time to speak – and that you will “ hear “ them patiently, I urge you to take out a few minutes to read my following earlier e-mails ,which go beyond simply “ pointing out “ what is wrong with the current scheme – and offer a very DETAILED ALTERNATIVE :