Source: 
Author: 
Date: 
19.08.2015
City: 
New Delhi
Interestingly, even ADR has failed to collect information on what exactly the term "sale of coupons" stands for. "We had filed applications under the RTI Act with political parties and the income tax department but are yet to get any clarification.
  • BJP yet to give income details; 57% earning from coupon sale, study of 5 parties' I-T returns shows

Nine months after the Election Commission asked all the major national political parties to file details of their income for the year 2013-14, the BJP is yet to furnish the same. However, as per analysis of details filed by five parties, 57% of the total income during the FY 2013-14 came from sale of coupons; donations, however, formed 22% of the income of the parties, revealed a survey report released by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Interestingly, even ADR has failed to collect information on what exactly the term "sale of coupons" stands for. "We had filed applications under the RTI Act with political parties and the income tax department but are yet to get any clarification. While political parties chose not to respond, the I-T department said it had not carried out any assessment proceedings to confirm the same," the ADR spokesperson told dna.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), in its letter dated November 19, 2014, issued to the president/general secretary of all political parties, stated that it was mandatory for the parties to submit details of their audited report to the ECI. The report analyses the total income and expenditure incurred by the national parties during FY 2013-14, as declared by the parties in their I-T returns submitted to the ECI.

As per the NGO, the due date for submission of annual audited accounts for the parties was November 30, 2014. Out of the six national parties, BSP, CPI, CPM and NCP submitted their audited report, while the INC submitted its report under protest, stating that unless necessary amendments were made in the RP Act, 1951, the ECI did not have the power to demand such reports from the parties. The BJP, in a letter sent in July 2015, had requested for 4 weeks' time but is yet to file the required reports.

A comparison of total donations declared by the parties in their I-T returns (both above and below Rs20,000) and that declared in the donations report shows that only 41% of the total donations of the parties came from voluntary contributions above Rs20,000. A total of Rs111.29 crore (59%) of the total donations to national parties was collected during FY 2013-14 from donors whose details are not available in the public domain.

"Full details of all donors should be made available for public scrutiny under the RTI Act. Some countries where this is done are Bhutan, Nepal, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, the US and Japan. In none of these countries is it possible for 80% of the source of funds to be unknown, but at present it is so in India," the ADR spokesperson said.

Total income
The five national parties, whose I-T returns are available in the public domain, have declared a total income of Rs844.71 crore, collected from all over India.
The INC has shown the highest income — Rs598.06 crore — during FY 2013-14. This formed 70.8% of the total income of the five national parties together.
The CPM declared the second-highest income of Rs121.87 crore which forms 14.43% of the total income of the national parties.

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