JUDGMENT

Kuldip Singh, J.-Common cause.- a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 which takes up various matters of general public interest/importance for redress before the courts - through its Director Mr. H.D. Shourie, has filed this public interest petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. The primary contention raised in the petition is that the cumulative effect of the three statutory provisions, namely, Section 293A of the Companies Act 1956, Section 13A of the Income-tax Act 1961 and Section 77 of the Representation of People Act 1950 is, to bring transparency in the election-funding. People of India must know the source of expenditure incurred by the political parties and by the candidates in the process of election. It is contended that the mandatory provisions of law are being violated by the political parties with impunity. During the elections crores of rupees .are spent by the political parties without indicating the source of the money so spent. According to Mr. Shourie the elections in this country are fought with the help of money-power which is gathered from black sources. Once elected to power, it becomes easy to collect tons o