The Delhi High Court on Monday again gave six weeks to the Centre to look into accounts of political parties for traces of foreign funding, PTI reported. The court had first made such an order in March 2014 and last gave the Centre six weeks’ time in July. The law does not allow political parties to accept foreign donations.
The non-profit Association for Democratic Reforms had approached the High Court earlier this year, alleging contempt of court.
This is the “last opportunity” for the Home Ministry to follow the order, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said.
In 2014, the High Court had found that both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party had flouted the norms of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act by accepting donations from Indian subsidiaries of UK-based Vedanta Resources. The court had asked the Election Commission and the Home Ministry to take action within six months.
On July 20, the High Court had asked the Centre why it had not complied with the order and gave it another six weeks, the Hindustan Times reported.
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