As the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the principal opposition party (BJP) and other political parties gear up to battle it out at the next year’s general elections, a survey has revealed that the national political parties do not know about their sponsors.

 According to Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), over 75 per cent of the funds cannot be traced and are from ‘unknown’ sources. This becomes very relevant in the light of recent events when the National Political Parties were brought under the RTI Act by a CIC ruling.

Details of source of funds of major political parties are as follows:

 Total income of political parties between FY 2004-05 and 2011-12: Rs. 4,895.96 crores

 Total income of political parties as donations from Electoral trusts: Rs. 105.86 crores, which is 2.16% of the total income of the parties

 Total income of political parties from known donors (details of donors as available from contribution report submitted by parties to Election Commission): Rs. 435.85 crores, which is 8.90% of the total income of the parties

 Total income of political parties from other known sources (e.g., sale of assets, membership fees, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy etc.): Rs. 785.60 crores, or 16.05% of total income

 Total income of political parties from unknown sources (income specified in the IT Returns whose sources are unknown): Rs. 3,674.50 crores, which is 75.05% of the total income of the parties