66% of the income of 7 national parties in FY22 came from Electoral Bonds, other sources
A report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Saturday states that during FY 2021-22, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared a total income of Rs.1161.0484 crore from unknown sources 53.45 percent of all national parties’ income from unknown sources (Rs.2172.231 crore). This income of the BJP is Rs.149.8658 crore more than the aggregate income from unknown sources declared by the other six national parties (Rs.1011.1826 crore).
The report said that between FY 2004-05 and 2021-22, the national parties collected Rs.17,249.45 crore from unknown sources
AITC declared Rs.528.093 crore as income from unknown sources which is 24.31 percent of the total income of national parties from unknown sources.
According to the ADR report, out of Rs.2172.231 crore as income from unknown sources, the share of income from Electoral Bonds was Rs.1811.9425 crore or 83.4%.
The report said that the combined income of INC (Congress) and NCP from the sale of coupons between FY 2004-05 and 2021-22 stands at Rs.4398.51 crore.
The report said that the total income of eight national political parties in FY 2021-22 was Rs.3289.34 crore and the total income of political parties from known donors (details of donors as available from contribution report submitted by parties to Election Commission and analyzed by ADR) is Rs.780.774 crore, which is 23.74 percent of the total income of the parties.
The total income of political parties from other known sources (sale of assets, membership fees, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy, etc) is Rs.336.335 crore or 10.22 percent of the total income. The total income of political parties from unknown sources (income specified in the annual audit report whose sources are unknown) is Rs.2172.231 crore, which is 66.04 percent of the total income of the parties, said the report.
The ADR report has said that out of Rs.2172.231 crore as income from unknown sources, the share of income from Electoral Bonds is Rs.1811.9425 crore or 83.4 percent.
ADR report said that income from the sale of coupons declared by INC, CPI(M) & NCP) formed 6.785 percent (Rs.147.3886 crore) of income from unknown sources. In comparison, donations from voluntary contributions (below Rs.20,000) formed 9.184 percent (Rs.199.4951 crore) in income from unknown sources of the seven national parties.
Political parties are not required to reveal the names of individuals or organizations than Rs.20,000 or those who donated via Electoral Bonds. As a result, over 65% of the funds cannot be traced and are from unknown sources.
ADR has recommended that since a huge percentage of the income of political parties cannot be traced to the original donor, full details of all donors should be made available for public scrutiny under the RTI. Some countries where this is done include Bhutan, Nepal, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, the US, and Japan. In none of these countries, more than 65% of the source of funds can be unknown, but at present, it is so in India.
The unknown sources are income declared in the annual audit report but without giving a 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, said ADR.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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Mr. ADR would you go and by the shares of KINGFISHER? People will donate to parties that they trust. So long as the donations given are from tax paid funds no need to bitch about who has given or to whom it has been given, that is if you believe in democracy. Writing such break-ups is not your business, because it only stinks of bias. As ADR you should insist that not a penny given should be in cash, now that the digital payments are so simple, even a fraction of Rupee can be paid on line so why allow up to 2000 or 20000 payment in cash . If BJP gets all 100% it should be no skin of your nose, after all there is a state, now without opposition( not Saddam style). The doner should have an option whether he wants his name to be in the public domain or not and an ADR deciding for him. The ANDOLAN JEEVEES, the PIL JEEVEES and the OPPOSITION JEEVEES need to accept that there are some good things happening as well which need to be supported along with the constructive criticism of the bad ones in the interest of your own credibility.
Incorrect to say that Electoral Bonds ( EB ) can be purchased from unknown sources. EB can be purchased only from KYC compliant bank account , and NOT by cash.
Secondly courts can ask for details of donors, and so can the law agencies if a criminal case has been filed by them.
Thus one can say that aam aadmi can not access details of donors or to which party they gave EB`s , but courts and law enforcement agencies can.