Political Funding In India

LS polls: As elections near, call for eco-friendly campaigning grow louder

As election campaigns started across the country, environmentalists demand that political parties take the digital and other non-conventional ways of electioneering to minimise the impact of non-biodegradable poll materials on nature. Political parties should rely mostly on social media to reach voters and shun flexes and plastic flags that litter streets once the polling is over and many a time reach waterbodies polluting them or block drains causing them to overflow. Parties blame the need for visibility factor in elections behind the use of those materials and promise to address the issue. Environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh asked, Why can't we come out of campaigns by putting up flexes, plastic flags even in remote rural parts which create a non-biodegradable mess and put a strain on the environment? Shifting to the digital mode for election campaigning should not be a distant dream in the present age as mobile phones with internet are available even in remote areas of the ..

Political funding's troubling sinkhole

Electoral bonds echo an old colonial playbook, and unless those issues are addressed, they will remain a gateway to corruption

Company that's biggest electoral bond donor funded 10 state-level parties

Future Gaming and Hotel Services spread its bets across national and regional players

Ex-CEC S Y Quraishi bats for more transparency in political funding

Former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi on Friday pitched for enhanced transparency in political funding, saying people should know who is giving money to parties. In a video interview with PTI, he said transparency of political funding is extremely important for free and fair elections. "Free and fair elections are the basic structure of the Indian Constitution," he underlined. He said it is important for people to know what kind of money -- dirty money or drug money -- is coming. He said it was important to know the nexus between the donors and government policies "as there are no free lunches". People want to know who is funding the government (apparently referring to the ruling party), he said. He said there may be instances that those donating may end up grabbing licences, contracts, bank loans "on which they default." "All these things have to be in the public domain," he said. His remarks come against the backdrop of the Supreme Court on Friday admonishing the St

SC orders SBI to disclose full electoral bond data to EC by 5 pm on Mar 16

The Supreme Court granted the EC's request for the unique identification numbers that will help link donors to the donations made to political parties under the now-scrapped electoral bond scheme

Electoral bonds: BJP received more funds than the next 6 parties combined

The ruling party received Rs 6,060 crore in electoral bonds, constituting 47% of the total donations, followed by TMC Rs 1,609.50 crore (12.6%) and Congress Rs 1,421.9 crore (11.1%)

Top electoral bond donor: All about Future Gaming & India's 'Lottery King'

Future Gaming emerged as the top electoral bond donor, donating Rs 1,368 crore to political parties between April 2019 and January 2024, in data released by the Election Commission

All you need to know about 'Donate for Desh' crowdfunding drive by Congress

Congress's 'Donate for Desh' crowdfunding asks donors to contribute in instalments of Rs 138, Rs 1,380 or Rs 13,800. The party said the campaign will help it stand as a formidable Opposition

SC bench to hear pleas challenging electoral bond scheme from Oct 31

A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court is scheduled to commence hearing from October 31 a batch of pleas challenging the validity of the electoral bond scheme for political funding of parties. The scheme, which was notified by the government on January 2, 2018, was pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring in transparency in political funding. According to the provisions of the scheme, electoral bonds may be purchased by any citizen of India or entity incorporated or established in India. An individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals. The bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud is scheduled to take up the batch of four pleas including those filed by Congress leader Jaya Thakur and the CPI(M). The other members of the bench are justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. On October 16, the top court said, "In view of the importance of the issue ..

Bharatiya Janata Party retains top spot with more donations than rivals

Rights activists allege the electoral bond program, allowing anonymous donations, further reduces transparency

BJP got Rs 614.53 cr as contributions, Congress Rs 95.46 cr: EC data

The ruling BJP received Rs 614.53 crore as contributions, more than six times the funds garnered by the opposition Congress during fiscal year 2021-22. The Congress received funds to the tune of Rs 95.46 crore, according to Election Commission data. The Trinamool Congress, which is in power in West Bengal, received Rs 43 lakh as contributions during the period while the CPI-M, which is in government in Kerala, received funds of Rs 10.05 crore. The West Bengal assembly polls were held in March-April, 2021. In Kerala too, assembly election were conducted in April, 2021. The four national parties had recently filed their latest contributions reports to the Election Commission which made the documents public on Tuesday. The Representation of the People Act stipulates that parties submit an annual report of contributions of over Rs 20,000 received from individual donors and entities. Besides individuals and entities, electoral trusts also contribute to parties' kitty. Electoral trus

Some life in Oppn: For first time, Left parties & Mamata on the same stage?

It doesn't bear thinking about. But Nitish Kumar may have managed the impossible feat of bringing the two together

Amit Shah's meeting to WBBSE Class 10 Result, here're top news on June 3

Two ships of the Indian Navy are set to be decommissioned on Friday

BJP retains top position among richest parties; Congress losing ground fast

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had requested recommendations from the ICAI to bring uniformity in the accounting and auditing practices of political parties

Political funding secrecy: Parties have ensured they stay above the law

The irony of the government legalising illegal foreign funding of political parties also lies in the enormous crackdown on foreign funds and aids received by NGOs

Do not donate over Rs 2,000 in cash to political parties: Income Tax dept

According to the scheme, no person should make a cash donation of over Rs 2000 to a political party

Foreign funds: Delhi HC gives Centre 6 weeks to look into parties' accounts

Accounts of political parties, including BJP and Congress, will need to be checked for traces of foreign funds

For 70 years, invisible funds created helplessness in economy: Arun Jaitley

Said, 'Sooner the concept of shell companies collapses, the better it will be for the economy'