Arun Jaitley defends electoral bonds, ask opponents to suggest alternatives

The govt had in 2018 brought in the electoral bond scheme as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of its efforts to bring transparency in political funding

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday defended the electoral bond scheme saying if donors are forced to disclose their names, the system of political funding through cash and black money will return.

The Election Commission, in an affidavit before the Supreme Court which is hearing the matter, said electoral bonds have made political funding opaque and would have "serious repercussions on transparency of political funding", due to its anonymous nature.

The government had in 2018 brought in the electoral bond scheme as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of its efforts to bring transparency in political