HC reserves verdict on foreign funding to Congress, BJP

The Delhi High Court Friday reserved its verdict on a plea against the Congress and the BJP, seeking directions for a probe into donations allegedly taken by the parties from subsidiaries of Britain-based Vedanta Group.

Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Jayant Nath reserved the verdict after all the parties concluded their arguments.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress claimed that Vedanta Resources is not a foreign company and, therefore, no law has been violated.

The PIL filed by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms through advocate Prashant Bhushan said the Britain-based Vedanta Resources and its subsidiary companies in India -- including Sterlite Industries, Sesa Goa and Malco -- "have donated several crores of rupees to major political parties like the Congress and the BJP".

The two parties breached the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), the PIL alleged.