JMM welcomes 'historic' SC verdict to strike down electoral bonds scheme

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha JMM on Thursday termed the verdict of the Supreme Court to strike down the electoral bonds scheme as historic, even as it expressed apprehension that the Centre might issue an ordinance to bypass the order.In a landmark judgment, the apex court annulled the scheme for political funding, saying it violates the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to information.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Thursday termed the verdict of the Supreme Court to strike down the electoral bonds scheme as "historic", even as it expressed apprehension that the Centre might issue an ordinance to bypass the order.

In a landmark judgment, the apex court annulled the scheme for political funding, saying it violates the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to information. "We had called this a scheme to launder money when it was introduced. Today's verdict is nothing less than historic," JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya told reporters here. "However, we have doubts the BJP-led central government might bypass the order through an ordinance," he said.

In its verdict months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the top court also ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose to the Election Commission the names of the contributors to the six-year-old scheme.

The Commission should publish the information shared by SBI on its official website by March 13, the court said.

"March 13 would be another historic day," Bhattacharya asserted.