The total income of national and regional parties from unknown sources for 2020–21 is Rs 690.67 crore...

Digital Desk: Research by the poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed that between 2004–05 and 2020–21, the national parties received more than Rs 15,077.97 crore from unidentified sources. 

The total income of national and regional parties from unknown sources for 2020–21 is Rs 690.67 crore.

For this analysis, ADR took 27 regional parties, in addition to eight national parties, into account.

The national parties included the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Community Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), and National People's Party (NPEP).

The regional parties included AAP, AGP, AIADMK, AIFB, AIMIM, AIUDF, BJD, CPI(ML)(L), DMDK, DMK, GFP, JDS, JDU, JMM, KC-M, MNS, NDPP, NPF, PMK, RLD, SAD, SDF, Shivsena, SKM, TDP, TRS, and YSR-Congress.

Between FY 2004-05 and 2020-21, the national parties received Rs 15,077.97 crore from unidentified sources, according to an analysis based on the Income Tax Returns (ITR) and donation declarations the parties submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

According to the statement, "For FY 2020–21, eight national political parties have declared Rs 426.74 crore income from unknown sources and 27 regional parties received Rs 263.928 crore income from unknown sources,"

Congress reported receiving Rs 178.782 crore from unidentified sources during FY 2020–21, which is 41.89 percent of the total amount received by national parties from unidentified sources (Rs 426.742 crore), according to the analysis.

The BJP disclosed Rs. 100.502 crores as income from unspecified sources, which is 23.55 percent of all unspecified money received by national parties.

The top five regional parties in terms of unknown income are YSR-Congress with Rs 96.2507 crore, DMK with Rs 80.02 crore, BJD with Rs 67 crore, MNS with Rs 5.773 crore, and AAP with Rs 5.4 crore. Electoral bond income accounts for 47.06 percent of the total of Rs 690.67 crore.

According to the ADR, Congress and NCP earned a total of Rs 4,261.83 crore from coupon sales between fiscal years 2004-05 and 2020-21.

Seven political parties' audit and contribution reports for FY 2020–21 contain reporting errors.

These seven parties include AITC, CPI, AAP, SAD, KC-M, AIFB, and AIUDF.