News analysis

India’s top court strikes down controversial scheme for anonymous political donations ahead of polls

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (second from left) at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi, India, on Dec 3, 2023. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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NEW DELHI – India’s Supreme Court, in a watershed judgment on Feb 15, abolished controversial bonds that allowed people to make anonymous donations to political parties.

In its ruling, the nation’s top court described the electoral bonds scheme as “unconstitutional” and asked the bank running the programme to reveal details of donations made to political parties through it thus far.

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