Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said that the political parties must not avoid coming under RTI Act as there is no transparency in the funding of these political parties. In an analysis carried out by ADR, it has been found that sources of 75 per cent of donations to the six national political parties are not known.

Donations amounting to Rs 4,895 crore were made to political parties between 2004 and 2012 according to data collected by ADR. Congress is leading among the parties that are getting donations from unknown sources. Between 2004 and 2012, Congress received Rs 1951 crores by way of sale of coupons, donations and miscellaneous income. A large chunk of the political funding from sources which are known is from Electoral Trusts belonging to corporate houses like Birla and Tata among others which according to ADR may be bringing money from overseas and donating to parties for the purposes of electioneering.

ADR criticised the parties for unanimously shunning the decision of the central information commission that the six national parties including Congress, BJP, BSP, NCP, CPI and CPI-M should come under the purview of the RTI Act.