Regional parties collect 55% donations from unknown sources

Ground Report | New Delhi: Regional parties donations sources; A new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) states that regional parties raised Rs 445.77 crore from undisclosed sources in 2019-20, which is 55.50 percent of their total income. Of this, 95.62 percent i.e. Rs 426.23 crore came from electoral bonds and regional parties collected Rs 4.97 crore from voluntary contributions.

"An analysis of the income tax returns and donation details of parties filed with the Election Commission reveals that the sources are largely unknown," the report said. At present, political parties are not required to disclose the names of people or organizations giving less than Rs 20,000. As a result, the source of a major part of the funds cannot be traced and these funds are from unknown sources.'

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Regional parties donations sources

Interestingly, the parties in the south - TRS, TDP, YSR Congress Party, DMK, and JD(S) - top the list of regional parties with the highest income from "unknown" sources. Odisha's ruling BJD is also included in this list. Some of the top regional parties that declared the highest "unknown" donations were: TRS (Rs 89.158 crore), TDP (Rs 81.694 crore), YSR Congress Party (Rs 74.75 crore), BJD (Rs 50.586 crore), and DMK (Rs 45.50 crore).

The donations received by regional parties from "known" donors (details of donors available from contribution reports submitted to the Election Commission) increased to Rs 184.623 crore, which is 22.98% of their total income; He received Rs 172.843 crore (21.52% of total income) from other known sources like a membership fee, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy, etc.

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In its report for the financial year 2018-19, analyzed for the 23 regional parties that filed their annual audit and contribution reports, the ADR had stated that their total income was Rs 885.956 crore, of which Rs 481.276 crore (Rs. 54.32%) came from "unknown Source".

"Since a very large percentage of the income of political parties cannot be traced to the original donor, complete details of all the donors should be made available for public scrutiny under RTI," the ADR said. It suggested that no organization receiving foreign funding should be allowed to endorse or campaign for any candidate or party. "Mode of payment of all donations (above and below Rs 20,000), proceeds from the sale of coupons, membership fees, etc. to be declared by the parties… The audit report, submitted to I-T department and ECI," Said it.

Spent Rs 252 crore in 5 assembly elections: BJP

BJP spent Rs 252 crore in the elections held in Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala this year, of which Rs 151.18 crore was spent on campaigning in West Bengal, according to the party's election expenditure statement has gone. EC, published Thursday. TMC said it spent Rs 154.28 crore on West Bengal elections.

In Tamil Nadu, where the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) wrested power from its arch-rival AIADMK, the BJP, which got just 2.6 per cent votes, spent Rs 22.97 crore in its campaign. The BJP threw all its might in its campaign against the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, spending Rs 151 crore in the state.

In Kerala, where the incumbent LDF retained power, the BJP spent Rs 29.24 crore. The election expenditure details submitted by the political parties to the Election Commission have been put in the public domain by the poll panels. According to an expenditure statement submitted earlier by the Trinamool Congress, it spent Rs 154.28 crore for its campaign in the West Bengal assembly election, slightly more than its main challenger BJP.

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