The Election Commission submitted the affidavit after pleas were filed by an NGO and others
The Election Commission has told the Supreme Court that it has received status of filing of electoral bonds from political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, in a sealed cover.
The election body filed an affidavit in the top court after its order on April 12 last year, telling political parties to give details of funds received through electoral bonds to the poll panel in a sealed cover.
"Pursuant to the same (order), the Election Commission of India has received sealed covers from various political parties (national, state and registered and unrecognised parties)," the Election Commission said in its affidavit.
The affidavit contains a list of 105 political parties, including national, state unit of national parties, state parties and registered unrecognised parties, who have filed the details on electoral bonds in sealed cover with the Election Commission.
"It is further submitted that insofar as the issue of submissions of annual audited report by the political parties to the Election Commission of India is concerned, a list showing the current status of submission of audited annual accounts of the political parties is being annexed herewith," the affidavit said.
The Election Commission submitted the affidavit after pleas were filed by an NGO and others seeking a stay on the centre's Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018.
The poll panel made it clear that being a constitutional authority, it does not propose to "take any contentious issues or to join any submission on merits as these are matters between contending parties".
The top court had in April last year declined to stay the centre's Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018, and had made it clear that it will give in-depth hearing on the pleas as the centre and the Election Commission have raised "weighty issues" having "tremendous bearing on the sanctity of the electoral process in the country".