ADR is organising a webinar on "How are electoral bonds changing the political funding landscape?” on 05th January 2023 at 4 PM (IST).

The focus points for the webinar are as follows:

1. Multiple windows opened for the sale of Electoral Bonds after amendments to the Electoral Bond Scheme by the government this year during the election period.
2. Electoral Bonds have opened floodgates to unlimited corporate donations to political parties and anonymous financing by Indian and possibly some foreign companies, which can have serious repercussions on Indian Democracy.
3. Electoral Bonds worth over ₹10,700 crores have been purchased between 2018 and October 2022. National parties' unknown income rose from 66% to 71% in the three years before and after the scheme's introduction.
4. Electoral Bonds have reduced public and legislative oversight. Only the ruling party via the SBI has a full account of all donations being made via Electoral Bonds.
5. We would like the panelists to dwell over the above statements of facts, how the political funding landscape is changing from being partially transparent to becoming completely opaque - provide plausible reasons behind this, discuss the ongoing institutional paralysis, lack of political will, and provide recommendations for reforms in the Scheme.
6. Amendments to the EB scheme in a scenario where a batch of pleas challenging the legality and merit of the Electoral Bond Scheme is pending before the Supreme Court.
7. The Supreme Court has not been able to list the matter on an urgent basis, especially when numerous applications have been filed in the court to stop the government from not opening any further window for the sale of electoral bonds due to the pendency of a case and to have a level playing field in the elections.
8. Why is it necessary that a Constitutional Bench be constituted by the Supreme Court to hear the plea challenging funding through Electoral Bonds?