Political funding: TDP, TRS struck it rich after 2014 win

Hyderabad: While the Congress and the BJP had the highest income from ‘unknown sources’ at the national level, the ruling party in AP, the Telugu Desam, is among the top five regional parties in the country with the maximum declared income of Rs 145 crore, which includes Rs 45 crore from unknown sources.

The TRS and YSR Congress have shown relatively less income with Rs 35.92 crore and Rs 23.47 crore respectively. The TRS, though, has the highest percentage of income from unknown sources in the Telugu states - Rs 25.21 crore.

Also read: 69 per cent funds of political parties unknown

Interestingly, donations to the TD and the TRS increased after they came to power in AP and TS respectively.

The Association of Democratic Rights on Tuesday released an analysis of the Income Tax returns and statements filed with the Election Commission of India and found that that the sources of income of political parties remain largely unknown.

ADR said, “Currently, political parties are not required to reveal the name of individuals or organisations giving less than Rs 20,000. As a result, over two-thirds of the funds cannot be traced and are from ‘unknown’ sources. This becomes very relevant in light of recent events when demonetisation was announced so as to weed out black money from society. While the national political parties were brought under the RTI Act by the CIC ruling in June 2013, they have still not complied with the decision.”

Also read: SC rejects PIL against IT exemptions to political funding

The analysis of the 11-year record of political parties by ADR revealed that as much as 70 per cent of the income of all parties in the country together is from unknown sources.

During the 11 years between the financial year 2004-05 and 2014-15, 83 per cent of the total income of the Congress, amounting to Rs 3,323.39 crore, and 65 per cent of the total income of the BJP, amounting to Rs 2,125.91 crore, came from unknown sources.

Among the regional parties, Rs 766.27 crore or 94 per cent of total income of the Samajwadi Party and Rs 88.06 crore or 86 per cent of the total income of the Shiromani Akali Dal came from unknown sources.