Comprehensive data on the electoral bonds scheme released following a Supreme Court order revealed that political parties received Rs 12,000 crore in anonymous corporate donations since the scheme launched in 2018, with the BJP receiving Rs 6,840 crore or 57% of the total. The Congress received Rs 1,420 crore, the Trinamool Congress Rs 1,090 crore, and other parties shared the remainder. The data shows a significant correlation between large bond purchases by companies and subsequent regulatory clearances, contract awards, and policy changes benefiting those companies, which opposition parties called evidence of quid pro quo corruption.
The Supreme Court, which had declared the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional in a landmark 2024 ruling, directed the State Bank of India and the Election Commission to publish the full data. Prime Minister Office declined to comment on specific allegations. The BJP said the electoral bonds were a legally approved mechanism and that all funds were used for legitimate election expenses. An opposition-led parliamentary committee announced it would seek a Joint Parliamentary Committee inquiry into alleged regulatory benefits received by major bond purchasers. The data reignited calls for comprehensive political finance reform in India ahead of the next round of state and national elections.