Looking at the cash obtained in different ways by political parties in the fiscal year 2022-23, it seems that no other party is on a level playing field with the BJP in terms of revenue collected from various sources. In comparison to the BJP's ₹2,361 crores in 2022-23, the opposition parties got just ₹143 crores in different ways, indicating a significant disparity.
The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) published a report on the funding received by the top six political parties in the nation for the year 2022-23. For this analysis, six national parties were considered – BJP, INC, CPI(M), BSP, AAP and NPEP. The report found that as far as income from various sources is concerned, there's no match for the BJP.
Out of the total of over ₹2,360 crores, the maximum funds received by the BJP was in the form of obviously the much talked about Electoral Bonds, ₹1,294.1499. Thereafter , the saffron party received ₹825.9143 worth of grants, donations and contributions. The saffron party received ₹237.38 as interest from banks.
The second in the line is the grand old party, the Congress, receiving a total of ₹452.375 funds. Out of that, the party received ₹171.02 crores from Electoral Bonds, whereas it received ₹125.7676 from selling of coupons and receiving ₹97.60 crores from grants, donations and contributions.
The CPI (M) party received a total funding of ₹141.661 crore in 2022-23, out of which it received nothing from Electoral Bonds, but received ₹63.783 crores from grants, donations and contributions and ₹41.739 through membership and subscription fees.
The other parties, AAP, BSP and the NPEP did not even have their total in triple digits.
BSP declared that it did not receive any funds from voluntary contributions (above or below ₹20,000)/Sale of coupons/Electoral Bonds or Unknown Sources of income. BSP received ₹29.27 cr from other known sources of income which include bank interest (₹15.0487 cr), membership fees (₹13.73 cr), gain on sale of immovable property (₹28.49 lakhs) and interest on income tax refund for AY 2021-22 (₹20.65 lakhs).
Out of the total ₹1832.8788 cr as income from unknown sources, the share of income from Electoral Bonds is ₹1510.6199 cr or 82.42%. Out of the total income of ₹1832.8788 cr of 6 National Parties from unknown sources, 82.42% or ₹1510.6199 cr came from Electoral Bonds.
Income from the sale of coupons declared by INC and CPI(M) formed 7.46 per cent (₹136.7986 cr) of income from unknown sources while Donations from Voluntary Contributions (below ₹20,000) formed 10 per cent (₹183.2811 cr) in income from unknown sources of the six national parties.
The ADR observed that between 2004-05 and 2022-23, the national parties collected ₹19,083.08 crore from unknown sources.
During 2022-23, BJP declared ₹1400.2398 crore as income from unknown sources which is 76.396 per cent of the total income of National Parties from unknown sources (₹1832.8788 cr). This income of BJP is ₹967.6008 crore more than the aggregate of income from unknown sources declared by the other 5 National Parties (₹432.639 cr). INC declared ₹315.114 crore as income from unknown sources which is 17.192 per cent of the total income of National Parties from unknown sources.
Out of ₹1832.8788 crore as income from unknown sources, the share of income from Electoral Bonds was ₹1510.6199 cr or 82.42 per cent. INC and CPI(M) have declared ₹136.7986 crore combined income from the Sale of Coupons for FY 2022-23.
