HEARING DEFERRED TO APRIL 11: Electoral bond scheme: Top court to consider whether to refer pleas to Constitution bench

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will consider whether the pleas challenging the validity of the electoral bond scheme for political funding of parties can be referred to a constitutional bench for an "authoritative pronouncement."

The top court's observations to decide whether the pleas can be referred to a constitution bench assume significance in the wake of the claim of an NGO, a PIL petitioner on the issue, that so far Rs 12,000 crore has been paid to political parties through electoral bond and the two-third of the amount has gone to one major political party and hence, the matter needed to be decided expeditiously prior to the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls.

"We will see whether the petitions can be referred to a constitution bench on April 11," said the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha.

Lawyer Shadan Farasat, appearing for one of the PIL petitioners, said that the pleas be referred to a constitution bench due to the impact of the electoral bond scheme on the democratic polity and funding of political parties.