Electoral bonds brought for transparency in poll funding, we respect SC verdict: BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday defended the electoral bonds scheme, struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, saying it had a laudable objective of bringing transparency in poll funding.

BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, added that his party respects the Supreme Court verdict.

Noting that the verdict has been delivered by a constitution bench of the apex court, he said the judgment runs into hundreds of pages and requires a comprehensive study before a structured reply is given by the party.

He told reporters that the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made efforts to reform election funding and the introduction of electoral bonds was a part of such measures.

Prasad said voters’ list now carries photographs of electorates while electronic voting machines are being used in large numbers, curbing the menace of booth-capturing.

Taking a swipe at the Congress which had alleged that the bonds could also work as a bribe to the ruling BJP from corporate groups, he said the parties whose “DNA is based on corruption and bribery” should not level such charges against the BJP.

BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli accused the opposition parties of politicising the issue as they do not have any alternative to Modi’s leadership and the positive work done by his government.

The BJP’s reaction came after the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment annulled the electoral bonds scheme ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, due in April-May.

‘We practise in courts and on a daily basis, cases are won and lost,’ Kohli told news agency when asked for his comment.

Any order of the Supreme Court or its judgment has to be accepted and respected, he added.

“But those political parties who are trying to politicise it are doing it primarily on the grounds that they have no answer or alternative to Modi ji’s leadership and the positive work done by his government where crores of people have benefitted,” he charged.

Kohli said India has now become the fifth largest economy in the world from the 10th largest economy and it is on its way to become the third largest economy under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.