Foreign funding to political parties matter of public interest: Allahabad HC

Zee Media Bureau

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Monday stated that a petition filed before it seeking a probe into the foreign funding to political parties is a matter of "public interest ". According to reports, the observation was made by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. Responding to the PIL, a bench of Justices Devi Prasad Singh and Justice Ashok Pal Singh said, this matter is not only related to the petitioner, social activist Nutan Thakur, but has a wider public realm. The bench also posted the matter for next hearing on November 20 by the PIL bench. The petition calls the Home Ministry`s ongoing probe into the Aam Aadmi Party`s (AAP) foreign contributions as one-sided. Social activist Nutan Thakur had in October 2012 sent a complaint to the Home Ministry after the Election Commission asked it to probe the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 by Congress and BJP. The BJP and Congress allegedly received donations of about Rs 5 crore each from Vedanta Group subsidiaries Sterlite Industries and Sesa Goa, however no action has been taken against the two parties so far. Thakur had called for an inquiry into foreign contributions received by all political parties, including the Congress and BJP.