The opacity of transparency: A deep dive into India's electoral bond system

ARCHIS MOHAN dives into India's electoral bond system, where political finance, corporate interests, and anonymity collide, sparking debates on transparency and the pulse of democracy

The 10-day window for the sale of the 28th tranche of electoral bonds, which opened on October 4 and closed on Saturday (October 14), coincided with the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the Assembly poll schedule for Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana on October 9.

According to data available for the 26 tranches sold between March 2018 and April 2023, 22,458 bonds worth Rs 12,955.26 crore were redeemed during these five years, with nearly a third, or 34.23 per cent, of the total value of these bonds redeemed by political parties in three months alone