India's Seven National Parties Got 67% Of Funds From 'Unknown Sources' In 2018-19: ADR Report

India's seven national parties have received ₹3,749.37 crores in the 2018-19 financial year with 67 per cent of it from "unknown sources" that cannot be traced, a report from Association for Democratic Reforms revealed. The total funds received by the seven national parties is to the tune of Rs 2512.98 crore.

The seven national parties include - INC, BJP, CPM BSP, NCP, and CPI.

The report highlighted that ₹ 71.44 lakh was paid in cash to these political parties.

According to the report, a whopping 64 per cent which is ₹1,612 crore of the total income from untraceable sources were funded to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

"This income of BJP forms more than 1.5 times more the aggregate of income from unknown sources declared by the other 5 National Parties (₹ 900.94 cr)," the report said.

Congress declared ₹728.88 crores as income from unknown sources, which comprises of 29 per cent of the total income of the party.

The schedules and annexures were unavailable for the 2017-'18 period for the CPI(M) and were therefore not evaluated in the study.

The BSP declared that it did not receive any funds from voluntary contributions (above or below ₹ 20,000), sale of coupons/electoral bonds or unknown sources of income.

The report further highlighted that between 2004-05 and 2018-19, national parties received funds from unknown sources worth ₹11,234.12 crores.

Total income of political parties from other known sources such as the sale of assets, membership fee, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy was Rs 284.73 crore or 7.59 per cent of total income.

Congress and NCP collected ₹3902.63 crores from the sale of coupons between 2004-05 and 2018-19.

Also Read: BJP Received 78% Of Total Donations Made In 2018-19: Report