National parties took Rs 11,234 crore donation from unknown sources from 2004-19: ADR

Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Monday (March 9) said that a total of Rs 11,234 crore was collected as donation by national from unknown sources from 2004-05 to 2018-19.

For this analysis, the ADR, a think-tank, has analysed the submission made by seven national parties, including the BJP and Congress, before the Election Commission of India. The five other parties are Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Nationalist Congress Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Communist Party of India (CPI).

According to ADR, the income from unknown sources refers to the funds declared in the Income Tax returns without naming the source for donations below Rs 20,000. Such unknown sources include donations via electoral bonds, sale of coupons, relief fund, miscellaneous income, voluntary contributions and contribution from meetings/morchas, PTI reported.

The BSP, which is led by Mayawati, however, informed the EC that it did not receive any funds from voluntary contributions (above or below Rs 20,000) from the sale of coupons/electoral bonds or unknown sources of income. "Between FY 2004-05 and 2018-19, the national parties have collected Rs 11,234.12 crore from unknown sources," the ADR said.

Notably, the details of donors of such voluntary contributions are not revealed publicly. The ADR said that Rs 1,612.04 crore was declared as income by the BJP from unknown sources. This amount is around 64 per cent of the total income of national parties from unknown sources (Rs 2,512.98 crore).

A total of Rs 728.88 crore was declared by Congress income from unknown sources which is 29 per cent of the total income of national parties from unknown sources. "Combined income of Congress and NCP from sale of coupons between FY 2004-05 and 2018-19 stands at Rs 3,902.63 crore," it added.