SC refuses interim stay on electoral bond scheme, seeks Centre, EC response in 2 weeks

The Supreme Court Monday refused to grant interim stay on the 2018 Electoral Bonds Scheme, meant for funding political parties, ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls.

The top court however sought response of the Centre and the Election Commission within two weeks on the interim application filed by an NGO, 'Association for Democratic Reforms', for staying the scheme.

"Two weeks' time is granted to the respondents (Centre and the EC) to file counter affidavits. List thereafter," said the bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, alleged that the scheme is a means for channelising unaccounted black money in favour of the ruling party and sought interim stay on it on the ground that it would be misused ahead of Delhi assembly polls.

"A stay was not given by this court before. So we may not do it now", the bench said, adding that it would hear the plea after two weeks.

Bhushan argued that alarming facts have come to light about the scheme, which was meant only for Lok Sabha polls. "This scheme has been illegally restarted before the assembly elections. Thousands of crores of rupees of illegal funds and bribes will come to the pockets of the ruling party."