An analysis by the Association of Democratic Reforms reveals the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the top recipient of electoral bond funding, securing Rs 7,721.4 crore since 2017. In contrast, the Indian National Congress received Rs 1,810 crore, while regional parties like BJD also relied heavily on this financing method.
A recent data analysis from the Association of Democratic Reforms sheds light on how electoral bond funding has been distributed among Indian political parties since 2017. The findings show a big gap, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading the pack, getting almost 50% of the total funds from this source.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been the top receiver of electoral bond funding since its introduction in 2017-18, getting a large share of the total funds given out through this method, according to the analysis.
Data from 2017-18 and 2018-19 reveals that the BJP collected a whopping Rs 1,450.9 crore and Rs 210 crore, respectively, during these years. Additionally, from April 12, 2019, to January 24, 2024, they received Rs 6,060.5 crore through electoral bonds, bringing their total to Rs 7,721.4 crore, almost half of the nationwide total, reveals a TOI report. In contrast, the Indian National Congress got much less, with Rs 383.3 crore and Rs 5 crore reported for 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively. Overall, Congress got Rs 1,810 crore through electoral bond funding until early 2024. Similarly, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) received Rs 97.3 crore during the same two-year period, totalling Rs 1,706.8 crore with updated data.
The analysis also looks at funding for regional parties. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) reported receiving Rs 213.5 crore in 2018-19, with no funds reported in the previous year. However, updated data shows the BJD's total electoral bond funding at Rs 989 crore, highlighting their reliance on this type of financing.
It's important to note that the analysis doesn't include data from April 1, 2019, to April 11, 2019, a crucial period before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections marked by significant political funding activity.
