Parties divided over EC move for transparency in funding

Political parties are a divided lot as regards their stand over the Election Commission's move to bring in transparency and accountability in their funding with Congress having opposed the proposal and BJP failing to give its response to the issue.
EC had sought the views of political parties on the issue of bringing more transparency into the way they received and spent funds. The EC move is aimed at curbing the use of black money in election campaigning.
EC has proposed that the parties provide a receipt both for donations into and payments out of their coffers of Rs 20,000 or above. It has also suggested that any payments be made by the parties through either cheque or internet banking.

While Congress had rejected most of the suggestions, BJP failed to send its reply within the stipulated time, according to an RTI query filed by Rama Nath Jha, Director of Transparency International India.
However, senior BJP functionaries have said that they will offer their views on the matter at the forthcoming all-party meet which has been convened by EC on February 4.
In the Congress response, party Treasurer Motilal Vora has rejected the proposal saying it was "neither practical nor possible" to implement. He said it would not be possible for Congress to issue receipts to all persons or companies making donations.

"It is neither practical nor possible in a fluid situation in the midst of an election campaign to issue receipts to each individual making donations," he said in the letter dated October 15, 2013.
Other parties like CPI, CPI-M and Akali Dal had agreed to the EC proposal on transparency and receipt for transactions above Rs 20,000, but Samajwadi Party toed the Congress line saying that the proposal "seems impractical".