Complete information about electoral bonds is on ECI’s site, yet why is SBI denying this?
Hash#ag News Bureau 11 Apr, 2024
State Bank of India has refused to disclose details of electoral bonds under the Right to Information Act. However, complete information about electoral bonds is available on the site of the Central Election Commission. SBI has shown complete stubbornness and said that of course, the complete information is on the Election Commission’s site but the information is personal and is kept in fiduciary capacity. Here fiduciary means a person who holds the property or money of another on trust. The fiduciary has a duty to take care of that person’s money.
According to PTI, SBI responded to an RTI activist that “the information sought by you includes details of purchasers and political parties and, therefore, cannot be disclosed as it is held in a fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which is prohibited under RTI.” Exempted under section 8(1)(e) and (j) of the Act.” Let us tell you that Section 8(1) (e) deals with records kept in a fiduciary capacity and Section 8(1) (j) allows withholding of personal information.
According to PTI, SBI responded to an RTI activist that “the information sought by you includes details of purchasers and political parties and, therefore, cannot be disclosed as it is held in a fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which is prohibited under RTI.” Exempted under section 8(1)(e) and (j) of the Act.” Let us tell you that Section 8(1) (e) deals with records kept in a fiduciary capacity and Section 8(1) (j) allows withholding of personal information.
You must remember that on February 15, the Supreme Court had directed the State Bank to present to the Election Commission the complete details of the bonds purchased since April 12, 2019. The court had termed the electoral bond scheme as “unconstitutional and patently arbitrary”. The court had directed the Election Commission to publish information about electoral bonds on its website by March 13.
On March 11, when SBI sought extension of the deadline, the Supreme Court rejected the plea and ordered it to send the disclosure of electoral bond details to the Election Commission by 5 pm on March 12. RTI activist Commodore (retd) Lokesh Batra approached SBI on March 13, seeking complete data of electoral bonds in digital form under RTI, as given to the Election Commission following the Supreme Court order. But SBI refused to give the same information under RTI.
According to PTI, Lokesh Batra said it was “strange” that he was refused to provide the same information which was already available on the official website of the Election Commission. Apart from the electoral bond data, Batra had also sought information about the fees paid to senior counsel Harish Salve, represented by the State Bank in the Supreme Court. SBI refused to disclose the fees paid to Salve under RTI saying that the money belonged to the taxpayers. Therefore information cannot be given.
On March 15, the Supreme Court pulled up the State Bank for not providing complete information for every electoral bond. This information was regarding the unique numbers printed on the bonds. SBI said that between April 1, 2019 and February 15 this year, a total of 22,217 electoral bonds of various denominations were purchased by donors, out of which 22,030 were encashed by political parties.
