Electoral Bonds are a double-edged sword, providing anonymity to donors while raising concerns about transparency in political funding. To what extent can electoral bonds further legitimized opacity in electoral funding?

Electoral Bonds are funding mechanism to eligible political parties. (Got more in v.notes) [Diagram showing mechanism of electoral bond with RBI supervising, REI, Political Party, EB, Exchange (breach within 15 days)] Fig - mechanism of electoral Bond Electoral Bonds as double-edged award Positive i Promotes anonymity & secrecy of donor to protects payment victimisation. ii DIs Dangers cash donations to political parties to debar cash donation above 2000. iii Enhanced supervision to money audited in RBI supervised A/C only.

set some concerns remain. i lack of transparency to anonymity against Right to know (Article 19(1)a) to PAN not required ii Removal of upper limit to of 7.5% for companies. iii Centralisation to only issued through RBI (Public sector bank) iv Corporatisation to as per ADR, 99%. Bonds worth >10 lakh Crores corporates using it). v Benefit to ruling party to more than 60% went to the ruling party. Thus, despite the intentions of promoting transparency and curb black money, there are issues of opacity in electoral Bonds. Way forward) Bring political parties within RTI to Proscribe upper limit to Partial state funding of elections (Dinesh Goswami committee)