The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has released the income report of 40 regional parties. These parties have declared a total income of Rs 2532.09 crore in the financial year 2023-24. Out of this, more than 70 percent, approximately Rs 1796.024 crore, came from electoral bonds.

According to the report, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) recorded the highest income of Rs 685.51 crore. Following that, Trinamool Congress (TMC) had Rs 646.39 crore, and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had an income of Rs 297.81 crore.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) reported an income of Rs 285.07 crore and YSR Congress reported Rs 191.04 crore. These five parties received 83.17 percent of the total income declared by 40 regional parties.

ADR reported that parties' income increased by 45.77 percent compared to 2022-23. In 2022-23, these parties' income was Rs 1,736.85 crore. At that time, TMC had earned the highest amount of Rs 312.93 crore.

12 political parties spent more than their income

According to the report, 27 regional parties reported that a portion of their income remained unspent. BRS did not spend Rs 430.60 crore from their income, TMC did not spend Rs 414.92 crore, and BJD did not spend Rs 253.79 crore.

Meanwhile, 12 parties including YSR Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party and JDU spent more than their income. Goa Forward Party declared no income but reported expenses of Rs 1.56 lakh.

Electoral Bonds biggest source of income

Out of these parties' total income, Rs 2,117.85 crore (83.64%) came from voluntary donations. Of this, Rs 1,796.02 crore (70.93%) was received only through electoral bonds, which was declared by only 10 parties. These parties mainly include BRS, TMC, BJD, TDP, YSR Congress and DMK.

4,507.56 crore electoral bonds encashed

In response to ADR's RTI application, State Bank of India informed that political parties encashed electoral bonds worth 4,507.56 crore rupees in 2023-24. Of this, approximately 55.99 percent (2,524.14 crore rupees) was withdrawn by national parties and 39.84 percent (1,796.02 crore rupees) by regional parties.

The report states that in 2023-24, only three national parties (BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party) received donations through electoral bonds.

10 anonymous parties in Gujarat received Rs 4300 crore donations in 5 years, spent only Rs 39 lakh

A recent report revealed that 10 anonymous registered political parties in Gujarat received donations of Rs 4300 crores in the five years from 2019-20 to 2023-24. Interestingly, during this period these parties fielded only 43 candidates in three elections in Gujarat (two Lok Sabha elections in 2019, 2024 and one Assembly election in 2022) and received a total of 54,069 votes.