Source: 
Author: 
Date: 
29.08.2017
City: 
New Delhi

Donations to political parties by corporates through electoral trusts fell sharply by over 25 percent in 2015-2016 compared to that in 2014-15. And only three political parties — BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (United) — received corporate donations through registered electoral trusts during 2015-16.

Donations, totaling Rs 49.5 crore, were made by just two electoral trusts out of a total 18 registered with the Central Board of Direct Taxes. These trusts received a total Rs 49.52 crore from corporates and distributed 99.96 per cent of the total amount to various political parties. In contrast, in 2014-15, donations received by political parties through this route stood at Rs 177.4 crore.

According to the Association of Democratic Reforms report, six Electoral Trusts have donated a total of Rs 312.27 crore of which only two Electoral Trusts (Satya and Samaj Electoral Trusts) donated more than once between 2013-14 and 2015-16.              

Giving details of the donations received by various electoral trusts, the ADR report said Satya Electoral Trust received Rs 47.0015 crore and Samaj Electoral Trust got Rs 2.52 crore during 2015-16. While 12 trusts did not receive any donation during the year, two others did not submit their contribution disclosure reports. Two others have been registered after March 31, 2016.

"Satya Electoral Trust received the highest amount of Rs 47.0015 crore from corporates and distributed Rs 47 crore  (99.99 percent) to BJP (Rs 45 crore) and Congress (Rs 2 crore).  Samaj Electoral Trust received a total of Rs 2.52 crore from corporates and distributed Rs 2.50 crore (99.21 percent) to BJP (Rs 1 crore) and JDU (Rs 1.50 crore).  Interestingly, no individuals donated to the Electoral Trusts in 2015-16.  In 2013-14, Rs 2 crore was donated by an individual ( Akhil Gupta) but no donations by individuals during FY 2014-15," it said.

JSW Steel Ltd contributed the maximum amount of Rs 25 crore to Satya Electoral Trust, which formed 53.19 per cent of the Trust's total donations, followed by Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Torrent Power Ltd. Each of them donated Rs 10 crore and constituted 21.28 per cent each of total donations to Satya Electoral Trust, the report said.

Sutlej Textiles and Industries Ltd contributed the maximum amount of Rs 1 crore, which formed 39.68 per cent of total donations to Samaj Electoral Trust, followed by Sil Investments Ltd which donated Rs 75 lakh and constituted 29.76 per cent of total donations to the Trust, ADR said. BJP and Congress were the only two political parties to receive donations from Electoral Trusts every financial year.

The report said that the General Electoral Trust donated Rs 131.65 crores to 7 political parties during FY 2014-15It is to be noted that the rules are not retrospective and hence these 6 Electoral Trusts i.e. General Electoral Trust, Electoral Trust, Harmony Electoral Trust, Corporate Electoral Trust, Bharti Electoral Trust and Satya Electoral Trust are not required to follow the transparency rules and declare their donor details. According to ADR report, there are eight such registered Electoral Trusts who have declared not receiving any contributions since their registration.

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