Assembly polls 2021: SC to hear plea seeking to stop fresh sale of electoral bonds

New Delhi, Mar 24: The Supreme Court will today hear a plea seeking a stay on the sale of fresh electoral bonds ahead of the state assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the union territory of Puducherry.

The petition has been filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms. It has sought to stop the fresh sale of electoral bonds from April 11 till the validity of the same is decided by the Supreme Court.

"There is a serious apprehension that any further sale of Electoral Bonds before the upcoming state elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, would further increase illegal and illicit funding of political parties through shell companies. Thus, the petitioner seeks a direction that no further opening of the window for the sale of electoral bonds be allowed during the pendency of the instant writ petition," the petition says.

The petition will be heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde. The matter was mentioned before the Bench by advocate Prashant Bhushan, who is representing ADR.