Electoral Bonds Scheme Unconstitutional Verdict (Feb 2024 – Present)

Supreme Court dismisses petitions seeking retrospective fund recovery and court-monitored SIT probes into corporate donation-contract links, upholding finality of ECI disclosures.

Election Commission of India (ECI) publishes complete raw SBI data including unique alphanumeric matching numbers on its official website, disclosing donor-party pairings.

Supreme Court rejects State Bank of India's request for time extension till June 30, ordering SBI to hand over all donor & recipient alphanumeric match data within 24 hours.

Five-judge Constitution Bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud unanimously strikes down 2018 Electoral Bonds Scheme and amendments to Companies Act, RoPA, and Income Tax Act as unconstitutional under Article 19(1)(a).

Supreme Court reserves verdict after 3-day Constitution Bench hearing on petitions filed by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Common Cause, and CPI(M).

Union Government amends Electoral Bond Scheme to increase sale days from 70 to 85 days in election years ahead of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.

Supreme Court directs all political parties to submit bond donation details in sealed covers to ECI.

Ministry of Finance officially notifies Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 following Money Bill amendments in Finance Act 2017 overriding RBI & ECI objections.