On the eve of the 2024 general election, electoral bonds have been thrust into the spotlight, representing a focal point in discussions surrounding political financing in India. These bonds, introduced as a means to ostensibly bring transparency to political funding, have instead been criticised for exacerbating the problem by allowing for anonymous and unrestricted donations to political parties. It leads to the question of what exactly the cost is of fighting an election and what it means for the future of India’s democracy.

In this episode of BIC Talks, Prof. Trilochan Sastry, founder-member of the Association for Democratic Reforms - a petitioner in the electoral bonds case in the Supreme Court, Brijesh Kalappa who has contested a state election and T.M. Veeraraghav who has covered politics for 25 years will discuss elections, money and sources of funding in Indian politics. This is an excerpt from a conversation that took place in the BIC premises in March 2024.

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