Supreme Court of India to hear plea on political cash donations

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a plea on August 31 regarding the legality of cash donations received by political parties. The petition challenges Clause (d) of Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which currently allows political parties to accept cash donations of less than Rs 2,000 without specific disclosure requirements.

Filed by Khem Singh Bhati, the plea argues that this provision lacks transparency and undermines the integrity of the electoral process. The petitioner contends that such anonymity prevents voters from knowing the sources and motives of political funding, which is essential for making informed decisions. The petition also seeks a directive for the election commission to mandate that no cash donations be accepted by political parties as a condition for registration and symbol allotment.

The hearing will be conducted by a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. The case follows the court’s 2024 judgment that struck down the electoral bonds scheme.