The income of the ruling BJP soared 81% to more than Rs 1,034 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 570 crore in 2015-16, the latest annual audit reports filed with the Election Commission suggested, adding that seven national parties declared a total income of ₹1,559.17 crore in 2016-17.
“This forms 66.34% of the total income of national parties added together during 2016-17,” a report by Delhi-based think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has pointed out.
The Indian National Congress followed with ₹225.36 crore — 14.45% of the total income, it said, adding that the CPI has declared the lowest income of ₹2.08 crore which forms a mere 0.13%, PTI quoted the report as saying.
The data has been compiled from Income Tax returns filed by the parties across the country. The seven national parties declared a total expenditure of ₹1,228.26 crore, the report added.
The BJP declared the maximum expenditure of ₹710.05 crore in 2016-17, while the Congress incurred a total expense of ₹321.66 crore (₹96.30 crore more than its total income), media reports said.
The report further said that 70% of the total income of the BSP, 31% of the total income of the BJP and the CPI and 6% of the total income of the CPI(M) was declared unspent during 2016-17.
The BSP’s total income was ₹173.58 crore during 2016-17, while its total expenditure was ₹51.83 crore. Between 2015-16 and 2016-17, the income of the BJP increased by 81.18% from ₹570.86 crore to ₹1,034.27 crore, while that of the Congress decreased by 14% from ₹261.56 crore to ₹225.36 crore.
Income of the BSP increased by 266.32% from ₹47.38 crore during 2015-16 to ₹173.58 crore in 2016-17, while that of the NCP increased by 88.63% from ₹9.137 crore during 2015-16 to ₹17.235 crore in 2016-17, it was pointed out.
The report noted that between 2015-16 and 2016-17, the income of the All India Trinamool Congress decreased by 81.52% and that of the CPI(M) fell by 6.72%.
The BJP and the Congress have declared donations/contributions as one of their three main sources of income. “Grants/donations/contributions of ₹997.12 crore declared by BJP formed 96.41% of the total income of the party during 2016-17. Declaration of ₹115.64 crore under revenue from the issuance of coupons by INC forms the topmost income of the party, contributing 51.32% of the total income of the party during 2016-17,” ADR reportedly said.
The maximum expenditure for the BJP during 2016-17 was towards election/general propaganda, which amounted to ₹606.64 crore followed by expenses towards administrative cost at ₹69.78 crore. The Congress spent the maximum ₹149.65 crore on election expenditure followed by the expenditure of ₹115.65 crore on administrative and general expenses, the report said.
Seven national parties have collected maximum 74.98% (₹1,169.07 crore) income from voluntary contributions for 2016-17. During 2016-17, national parties received ₹128.60 crore income from interest from banks and FD. The report added that 7.98% or ₹124.46 crore was the income generated through revenue from the issuance of coupons by national parties during 2016-17, the report highlighted.
