The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed multiple petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into the electoral bonds scheme, amid allegations of “quid pro quo” arrangements between political parties and their corporate donors, reports Bar and Bench.
The petitions, filed by the NGOs Common Cause and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), alleged an “apparent quid pro quo” involving political parties, corporations, and investigative agencies within the electoral bonds framework.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ruled that intervening at this stage under Article 32 of the Constitution would be premature and inappropriate.
The court emphasised that it cannot initiate a broad inquiry into the purchase of electoral bonds based on speculative claims of quid pro quo related to contract awards.
“The court entertained petitions challenging electoral bonds since there was an aspect of judicial review. But the cases involving criminal wrongdoing should not be under Article 32 when there are remedies available under the law,” the bench said, as quoted by PTI.