All parties should function within legal framework: BSP

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday said that all political parties should function within the legal framework and avoid indulging in money-laundering operations

BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadauria, who was reacting to the Election Commission's decision to write to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) informing it about the decision to delist 200-odd political parties that exist only on paper, said all parties must function within certain parameters laid by the Election Commission and Constitution of India.

"I am quite sure the EC will bear all that in mind while moving ahead on this issue and I would also expect that all political parties be responsible enough to function within the legal framework," he told ANI.

The BSP leader further said that the Election Commission should examine where the political parties exist on paper or not, adding the top body has the right to take action against those involved in the money-laundering activities.

Sources said the Election Commission suspects that most political parties may be indulging in money-laundering operations.

The political parties on the other hand claim that they declare most of their funds as having come from unnamed donors donating less than Rs. 20,000 each. The political parties by doing so get away without having to name the sources of their donations.