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Income from ‘unknown sources’ accounted for 69 per cent of the total for national and regional political parties between 2004-05 and 2014-15, an analysis by Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-profit election watchdog, showed.
The total income of the political parties stood at ₹11,367.34 crore during the period, of which ₹7,832.98 crore came from ‘unknown sources’.
The income of national parties from ‘unknown sources’ rose 313 per cent from ₹274.13 crore in 2004 to ₹1,130.92 crore in 2014-15.
Regional parties reported a 652 per cent rise from ‘unknown sources’ — from ₹37.39 crore during 2004-05 to ₹281.01 crore during 2014-15, said ADR, which analysed the income-tax returns and statements filed by these parties with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Congress & BJPAmong the national parties, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party reported the highest amount of income from ‘unknown sources’ during the period: at ₹3,323.39 crore and ₹2,125.91 crore, respectively.
Among the regional parties, Samajwadi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal declared ₹766.27 crore and ₹88.06 crore, respectively, from ‘unknown sources.’’
The ‘unknown sources’ of income declared in the IT returns pertain to donations below ₹20,000, and include proceeds from sale of coupons, relief funds, miscellaneous income, voluntary contributions, contribution from meetings/morchas etc.
ADR said the total income of political parties from known donors stood at ₹1,835.63 crore, which is only 16 per cent of their total. The other known sources of income, including sale of assets, membership fees, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy etc, accounted for ₹1,698.73 crore. “At present, political parties are not required to reveal the name of individuals or organisations giving less than ₹20,000. As a result, over two-thirds of the funds cannot be traced and are from ‘unknown’ sources,” said ADR, adding that this becomes “very relevant in the light of recent events when demonetisation was announced to weed out black money from the society.”
While supporting the ECI’s recommendation that details of all donors who donate above ₹2,000 be declared in the public domain, ADR also called for annual scrutiny of financial documents submitted by the political parties by a body approved by CAG and ECI.
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