Only 3 parties got donations from electoral trusts in FY16:ADR

Only three political parties -- BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (United) -- received corporate donations through registered electoral trusts during 2015-16, a study showed today.
These donations, totalling Rs 49.5 crore, were made by just two electoral trusts out of a total 18 registered with the tax department, according to the study done by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-government organisation working in electoral reforms.
These trusts received a total Rs 49.52 crore from corporates and distributed 99.96 per cent of the total amount to various political parties, the ADR report said.
The total donations received by political parties through this route fell sharply in 2015-16, from Rs 177.4 crore in the previous fiscal.

Giving details of the donations received by various electoral trusts, the ADR report said Satya Electoral Trust received Rs 47.0015 crore and Samaj Electoral Trust got Rs 2.52 crore during 2015-16.
While 12 trusts did not receive any donation during the year, two others did not submit their contribution disclosure reports. Two others have been registered after March 31, 2016.

According to the rules formulated by the government, electoral trusts are required to donate 95 per cent of their total income to registered political parties in a financial year.
Out of total income of Rs 47,00,15,000, Satya Electoral Trust made contributions only to BJP (Rs 45 crore) and INC (Rs 2 crore) while Samaj Electoral Trust, with a total income of Rs 2.52 crore gave Rs 1.5 crore to JD(U) and Rs 1 crore to BJP, the report said.

JSW Steel Ltd contributed the maximum amount of Rs 25 crore to Satya Electoral Trust, which formed 53.19 per cent of the Trust's total donations, followed by Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Torrent Power Ltd. Each of them donated Rs 10 crore and constituted 21.28 per cent each of total donations to Satya Electoral Trust, the report said.
Sutlej Textiles and Industries Ltd contributed the maximum amount of Rs 1 crore, which formed 39.68 per cent of total donations to Samaj Electoral Trust, followed by Sil Investments Ltd which donated Rs 75 lakh and constituted 29.76 per cent of total donations to the Trust, ADR said.