Electoral Bonds Case Live Updates : Supreme Court Hearing Of SBI's Time Extension Plea, Contempt Petitions Against SBI Chairman

Salve : Your lordships may clarify that correlating information is not needed, tomorrow I don't want another contempt.

Justice Gavai : The order dictated by my lord the Chief Justice of India is very clear.

SC : The SBI shall file an affidavit of its Chairman and Managing Director on compliance with the directions issued above. While we are not inclined to exercise the contempt jurisdiction at this time, we place SBI on notice that this Court may be inclined to proceed against it for wilful disobedience if SBI does not comply with the directions by the timelines indicated in this order.

SC asks ECI to publish the details of the information supplied to the Court as per interim order on its website.

SC : ECI shall compile the information and publish the details in its official website no later than by 15 March, 2024 by 5 PM.

SC : SBI is directed to disclose the details by the close of business hours 12 March, 2024.

SC : The submissions of the SBI sufficiently indicate that the information is readily available. The Application filed by the SBI seeking extension of time until 30 June, 2024 is dismissed.

SC : Together with the SBI's application for extension of time, ADR has filed a contempt petition in which it submits that the information can be easily disclosed by the SBI because of the unique number printed on the electoral bonds.

SC : The information about poltical parties information will be stored in these branches which would be clearly accessible.

SC : There is no dispute about the fact that this process was duly followed.

SC : Similarly, the FAQs with respect to redemption of bonds states that each political party can only open one current account for EB redemption. The current account would be opened by the political party only in 39 authorised branches ..

SC : Thus, the details of the bonds which have been purchased are readily available.