Published By: Saurabh Verma
Last Updated: March 11, 2023, 16:59 IST
The earnings from unknown sources was 66.04 per cent of their complete earnings. (Representative picture)
The seven events — BJP, Congress, TMC, NCP, CPI, CPI(M) and the National People’s Party — collected Rs 2,172 crore from unknown sources in 2021-22, the NGO working for electoral reforms mentioned, citing official knowledge
More than 66 per cent of the entire earnings of seven nationwide events in 2021-22 got here from “unknown sources” like electoral bonds, which accounted for a whopping 83 per cent, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The seven parties — BJP, Congress, TMC, NCP, CPI, CPI(M) and the National People’s Party — collected Rs 2,172 crore from unknown sources in 2021-22, the NGO working for electoral reforms said, citing official data.
The income from unknown sources was 66.04 per cent of their total income. And, Rs 1,811.94 crore or 83.41 per cent of the income from unknown sources came through electoral bonds, it said.
The “unknown” sources are income declared in the annual audit report by these parties but without giving the source of income, according to the ADR.
At present, political parties are not required to reveal the name of individuals or organisations giving less than Rs 20,000 and those who donated via electoral bonds.
The ADR stated such unknown sources include donations via electoral bonds, sale of coupons, relief fund, miscellaneous income, voluntary contributions, and contribution from meetings/morchas.
During the financial year 2021-22, the BJP declared Rs 1,161 crore as income from unknown sources which is 53.45 per cent of the total income of national parties from unknown sources, it said.
“This income of BJP is Rs 149.86 crore more than the aggregate of income from unknown sources declared by the other six national parties (Rs 1,011.18 crore),” the ADR mentioned.
The TMC declared Rs 528 crore as earnings from unknown sources which is 24.31 per cent of the entire earnings of nationwide events from unknown sources.
Between 2004-05 and 2021-22, the nationwide events collected Rs 17,249.45 crore from unknown sources, it mentioned.
The mixed earnings of the Congress and NCP from sale of coupons between 2004-05 and 2021-22 stands at Rs 4,398.51 crore, the ADR mentioned.
“It is to be noted that TMC’s total donations as per the audit report are worth Rs 38 lakh (excluding donations via electoral bonds) but the party has declared donations worth Rs 43 lakh in the donations statement (details of donations above Rs 20,000). Hence, there is a discrepancy in the party’s statement for FY 2021-22,” the ADR mentioned.
The CPI has declared donations by levy, membership charge, social gathering funds and election funds.
The organisation mentioned that for this evaluation, eight nationwide events have been thought of however the BSP declared that it didn’t obtain any funds from voluntary contributions from unknown sources of earnings.
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