A recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed that more than 70% of funds cannot be traced and came from 'unknown' sources for the top seven national parties. Taking into account the BJP, Congress, Trinamool, CPM, NCP, BSP, and CPI, ADR calculated that between 2004-05 and 2019-20, the National Parties collected Rs 14,651.53 Cr from unknown sources.

ADR attributes this to donations through Electoral Bonds and the fact that parties were not required to reveal donations under Rs 20,000.

The report stated that BJP declared Rs 2642.63 Cr as income from unknown sources in FY 2019-20, which is 78.24% of the total income of National Parties from unknown sources (Rs 3377.41 cr). Meanwhile, Congress has Rs 526 cr as income from unknown sources. Out of Rs 3377.41 cr as income from unknown sources, the share of income from Electoral Bonds was Rs 2993.826 cr or 88.643%. On the other hand, according to the donation reports of Fy 2019-20, (above Rs 20,000), Rs 3.18 lakhs was received in cash by the National Parties. 

According to the report, the total income of the seven national political parties for FY 2019-20 is Rs 4758.206 crore. Among this amount, Rs 1013.805 cr, which is 21.31% of the total income, comes from known donors, while Rs 3377.41 cr, which is 70.98% of the total income, comes from unknown donors.

ADR stated that donations below Rs 20,000 constituted 5.255% (Rs 177.483 cr) of all seven parties' income from unknown sources.

In a similar analysis of 53 regional parties, ADR found out that seven regional parties (IUML, DMK, PMK, MNS, JVM-P, SDF and NPF) have also provided details of donations received below Rs 20,000. In total, 27 regional parties who have declared their donations have collected Rs 233.686 cr from 6923 donations including contributions both above and below Rs 20,000. 23 regional political parties have defaulted on the submission of their donations reports to the ECI during FY 2019-20.

The highest contribution to any regional satrap was amassed by Maharashtra's Shiv Sena with Rs 62.859 cr from 436 donations followed by AIADMK which received Rs 52.17 cr from just 3 donations. 81.10% or Rs 189.523 cr of the total donations received by regional parties have been received solely by top 5 regional parties. No donations have been declared by NDPP, DMDK and JKNC for FY 2019-20, stated ADR.

Image source: Republic world