Election Commission of India has risen to the occasion by opposing at Supreme Court, the decision of central government to introduce electoral bonds for funding of political parties where names of contributors are hidden. These bonds have become source of undisclosed funding to ruling party getting 95-percent of total funding done through electoral bonds in the year 2017-18.
It is evident any ruling party will be getting major share of such opaque contribution because of contributors getting favours from the ruling party by themselves remaining anonymous.
Contributions made to political parties should be perfectly transparent and cashless. Electoral bonds must carry names of contributors to prevent these as indirect and legalised bribing to ruling party. With central government motivating even small payments through digital banking like Bhim-app PayTM etc, ideal is to ultimately totally ban cash-contribution to any political party, with initially restricting it to rupees one hundred rather than present rupees 2000.
Sections 13A, 80GGB and 80GGC of Income Tax Act on contributions received by and made to political parties should be totally abolished to prevent whitening of black money with many registered political parties not having contested any election but getting themselves registered with Election Commission only for this purpose. After all extra revenue-earning so made will be used for national development and public-welfare which is rather more necessary than to provide undue tax-relief to our ultra-rich and affording political parties.
MADHU AGRAWAL