Over 55% donations to regional parties from 'unknown' sources, shows data

In 2019-20 (FY20), the total income of regional parties from unknown sources amounted to Rs 445.77 crore and constituted 55.5 per cent of their total income as declared in their audit reports. Ninety-six per cent (or Rs 426.23 crore) of this came from electoral bonds; regional parties collected Rs 4.97 crore from voluntary contributions.

‘Known sources’ are defined as donations above and below Rs 20,000, whose donor details are available through contribution reports as submitted by regional parties to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

‘Unknown sources’ are income declared in the annual audit reports, but without giving source of income for donations below Rs 20,000. Such unknown sources include donations via electoral bonds, sale of coupons, relief fund, miscellaneous income, voluntary contributions, contribution from meetings/morchas, etc. The details of donors of such voluntary contributions are not available in the public domain.

Other known sources of income include sale of moveable and immoveable assets, membership and delegate fee, bank interest, sale of publications, and levy whose details would be available in the books of accounts maintained by political parties.

The total income of 25 regional political parties in FY20 was Rs 803.24 crore.

The total income of political parties from known donors (details of donors as available from the contribution reports submitted by parties to the ECI) was Rs 184.62 crore, which is 22.98 per cent of total income of parties.

The total income of political parties from other known sources (membership fees, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy, etc) was Rs 172.843 crore, or 21.52 per cent of total income.

ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS