Total income of all national parties in 2023-24 was Rs 5,820.91 crore. At Rs 4,340.47 crore BJP accounted for 75% of this income: ADR

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spent Rs 2,211.69 crore during financial year 2023-24 (FY24), nearly double the expenditure of the five other national parties at Rs 1,230.92 crore, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). More than half of BJP's expenses, Rs 1,755 crore, went towards "election campaigns' and 'general propaganda," making it the largest expenditure category for the party.

The report, based on the annual audit reports submitted by national parties to the Election Commission of India (ECI), reveals key insights into income, expenditure, and sources of funding for the six recognised national parties: BJP, Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and National People's Party (NPEP).

BJP accounted 75 per cent of total income of all parties

In FY24, the total income of national political parties amounted to Rs 5,820.91 crore. The BJP had the highest income, accounting for Rs 4,340.47 crore, which represents 74.57 per cent of the total income of national parties.

The Congress followed with an income of Rs 1,225.11 crore, constituting 21.04 per cent of the total. The BSP reported an income of Rs 64.77 crore, while the CPI(M) recorded Rs 167.63 crore.

The AAP and NPEP reported significantly lower incomes, with Rs 22.68 crore and Rs 22.44 lakh, respectively.

These figures highlight the substantial financial disparities among the national parties, with the BJP and Congress collectively accounting for the majority of the total income.

BJP spent Rs 1,755 crore on campaigns

The BJP spent Rs 2,211.69 crore in FY24, which constituted 50.96 per cent of its total income. The majority of its expenditure, Rs 1,754.06 crore, was allocated to "election/ general propaganda," while administrative costs accounted for Rs 349.71 crore.

Meanwhile, the Congress party spent Rs 1,025.24 crore, representing 83.69 per cent of its income, with Rs 619.67 crore directed toward election expenses and Rs 340.70 crore toward administrative and general expenses.

The CPI(M) spent Rs 127.28 crore, or 75.93 per cent of its income, with Rs 56.29 crore spent on administrative and general expenses and Rs 47.57 crore on employee costs. BSP spent Rs 43.18 crore, 66.67 per cent of its income, with the largest share, Rs 19.11 crore, allocated to election and propaganda activities.

Notably, AAP spent Rs 34.09 crore, exceeding its income by 50.34 per cent, with Rs 23.47 crore spent on election and propaganda. NPEP also overspent, with total expenditure of Rs 1.13 crore, exceeding its income by 407.58 per cent, and Rs 64.62 lakh spent on administrative and general expenses.

Where did parties get funds?

The report highlighted that the BJP, Congress, and AAP together collected 43.36 per cent (Rs 2,524.13 crore) of their total income from now-defunct electoral bonds.

BJP received Rs 1,685.62 crore from electoral bonds, Congress received Rs 828.36 crore, and AAP Rs 10.15 crore.

Additionally, national parties declared Rs 2,669.86 crore as income from donations and contributions, with the BJP receiving the highest at Rs 3,967.14 crore, followed by the Congress at Rs 1,129.66 crore.

The due date for submitting annual audited accounts was October 31, 2024. The ADR report noted that while the BSP, NPEP, and AAP submitted on time, CPI(M), Congress, and BJP submitted after delays of 12, 53, and 66 days, respectively.