SCBA blasts chief’s letter to President Murmu on electoral bonds verdict

The executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association on Tuesday dissociated itself from the letter written by SCBA chief Adish C Aggarwala seeking presidential reference of the apex court judgement in the electoral bonds scheme case.

The bar association also condemned the content of the letter, calling it an “attempt to overreach and undermine the authority” of the Supreme Court.

Adish C Aggarwala, who is also the chairperson of All India Bar Association, wrote to President Droupadi Murmu urging her to seek presidential reference of the verdict in the electoral bonds scheme case and not to give effect to it unless the top court has reheard the matter.

“Revealing the names of corporates that had contributed to different political parties would render the corporates vulnerable for victimization,” Aggarwala said in his letter to the President.

“The possibility of them being singled out by those parties that had received less contribution from them, and harassed cannot be ruled out if the names of corporates and their quantum of contributions to various parties are revealed. This will be reneging on the promise given to them while accepting their voluntary contributions.”

He said, “Disclosing such sensitive information, that too retrospectively, will result in chilling effect in corporate donations and participation in the democratic process.”

While the letter was printed on the letterhead of the All India Bar Association, it bore Aggarwala’s designation as President of the SCBA below his signature.

“Therefore, it has become expedient for the Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association to make it abundantly clear that the members of the committee have neither authorised the President to write any such letter nor do they subscribe to his views as expressed therein,” the resolution signed by SCBA secretary Rohit Pandey read.

“The Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association further views this act as well as the contents therein as an attempt to overreach and undermine the authority of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and unequivocally condemn the same,” it added.