The BJP recorded the highest income of Rs 2,361 crore, which is 76.73 per cent of the total income of the six parties during the fiscal year 2022–23. The Congress earned Rs 452.375 crore (14.70 per cent), while AAP’s income increased by 91.23 per cent, i.e., Rs 85.17 crore during FY 2022-23

Donations, electoral bonds, assets, contributions from meetings, bank interest, and much more, political parties have multiple sources of income.

The Association of Democratic Reforms, an independent research agency that tracks political parties, on Wednesday, released an analytical report on the income and expenditure of six national-level parties during 2022-23, as declared by them in their annual audit report submitted to the Election Commission of India.

The national parties — the BJP, Congress, AAP, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and National People’s Party — have earned a total income of nearly Rs 3,077 crore.

Let’s take a closer look.

Income of national parties in 2022–23

The BJP got the maximum share of around Rs 2,361 crore, which is 76.73 per cent of the total income of the six parties during the fiscal year 2022–23, the ADR said.

Between 2021-22 and 2022-23, the income of the ruling party at the Centre increased by 23.15 per cent or Rs 443.724 crore from Rs 1917.12 crore during 2021-22 to Rs 2360.844 crore during 2022-23, according to the report.

The Congress was the second biggest recipient, with Rs 452.375 crore (14.70 per cent).

The income of the National People’s Party (NPP) – the only party from the northeast to have the national party status – increased from Rs 47.20 lakh during FY 2021-22 to Rs 7.562 crore during FY 2022-23, a rise of 1,502.12 per cent or Rs 7.09 crore.

Similarly, AAP’s income increased by 91.23 per cent (Rs 40.631 crore) from Rs 44.539 crore during FY 2021-22 to Rs 85.17 crore during FY 2022-23.

Between the 2021-22 fiscal and 2022-23 fiscal, the income of the Congress, CPI(M) and BSP decreased by 16.42 per cent (Rs 88.90 crore), 12.68 per cent (Rs 20.575 crore) and 33.14 per cent (Rs 14.508 crore) respectively, it noted, citing their records submitted to the Election Commission.

It also said the BJP declared a total income of Rs 2360.844 crore during FY 2022-23, but spent only 57.68 per cent, which comes to Rs 1361.684 crore of the total income.

Electoral bonds

Almost half of the total income in 2022-23 of BJP and the AAP was sourced from now-banned electoral bonds, the ADR report said.

The BJP earned Rs 1294.15 crore from electoral bonds/electoral trusts, accounting over 55 per cent of the total bonds worth Rs 2,797.356 crore.

For the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, income from electoral bonds stood at 53.364 per cent – Rs 45.45 crore, while the Congress received Rs 171.02 crore.

The BJP, Congress, and AAP collected 49.09 per cent or Rs 1,510.61 crore of national parties’ total income from donations through electoral bonds for FY 2022-23.

Citing data shared by the SBI in response to its RTI, the ADR said electoral bonds worth Rs 2,797.356 crore were redeemed by parties in FY 2022-23. Fifty-four per cent or Rs 1510.62 crore of this has been redeemed by national parties.

Electoral bonds, which were introduced in 2018, let citizens make anonymous contributions to political parties without disclosing their identity to others, according to News18.

For those unversed, this month the Supreme Court struck down the scheme because anonymous electoral bonds infringed against citizens’ right to information. The Supreme Court also declared that these bonds were “unconstitutional” and that “Infringement of the voter’s right to know is not proportionally justified by saying black money is being curbed.”

Expenditure

The BJP, which declared a total income of Rs 2,360.84 crore, spent only 57.68 per cent, i.e. Rs 1,361.68 crore.

Among the six parties, only Congress and the AAP spent more than their income during the financial year.

The ADR report says the grand-old party’s total income was Rs 452.375 crore while it spent Rs 467.135 crore, 3.26 per cent more than it earned during 2022-23.

According to News18, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started in Tamil Nadu in September 2022 and ended in Jammu and Kashmir in January 2023, cost the party about Rs 50 lakh per day. When it comes to the distance of the journey, the Congress spent Rs 1.59 lakh per kilometre on averages, the report cited party documents. For “Administrative and General Expenses,” the party said it spent Rs 71.58 crore on the yatra.

Meanwhile, AAP’s – which is in power in Delhi and Punjab – total income was Rs 85.17 crore while it spent Rs 102.051 crore. Its expenditure for the year exceeded its total income by 19.82 per cent.

The CPI(M) spent Rs 106.067 crore or 74.87 per cent of its income of Rs 141.661 crore.

“NPEP declared a total income of Rs 7.5 crore during FY 2022-23, and spent Rs 6.932 cr (91.67%) of it,” the report added.

During the year, the report observed that the most common and popular items of expenditure were election expenses and administrative/general expenses.

It is pertinent to mention here that CPI(M) is the only party to submit its audit report on time, i.e., 31 October 2023. 

“Only CPI(M) submitted its audit report on time while AAP, BSP, NPEP, INC, and BJP submitted after a delay of 5 days, 23 days, 27 days, 64 days and 72 days respectively,” the report said.