Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Jan 31: The long-pending case contesting the contentious Electoral Bonds programme was ordered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday to be scheduled for a final hearing in the third week of March of this year.
An order to that effect was issued on Tuesday by a bench consisting of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and PS Narasimha.
“Electoral Bonds case will be listed in the third week of March for final hearing,” the Court said.
On Tuesday, the Court also ruled that two additional petitions, one addressing the issue of bringing political parties under the RTI Act and the other addressing the certification of foreign contributions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for political funding, are independent of the case involving electoral bonds and will be heard separately.
The Court issued notice on those two petitions and posted the same for further consideration in April.
“Let reply be filed to the political parties under RTI case, in 2 weeks. Regarding the FCRA issue, let reply be filed by end of February 2023. Political parties under RTI (to be heard) in early April and FCRA issue in the middle of April, 2023,” the Court said.
Notably, the apex court is hearing petitions challenging the scheme as well as a plea challenging a recent notification extending the period of sale of electoral bonds by 15 days during years when elections are scheduled to be held for State assemblies and Union Territories with legislature.
The electoral bonds programme is said to be the most transparent by the Central government in its affidavit.
