How much money did National parties make in 2016-17? BSP highest with Rs 173.58 crore

The BJP and the Congress are yet to submit their audit reports to the Election Commission of India 99 days after deadline

The total income of five national parties in the year 2016-17 was Rs 299.54 crore according to audit reports filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI). While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have failed to submit their audit reports to the ECI, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has declared the highest income with Rs 173.58 crore.

An analysis of the audit reports filed by national parties by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) pointed out that out of the total declared income of Rs 173.58 crore, the BSP spent only 30 per cent i.e., Rs 51.83 crore in 2016-17. The report is based on declarations made by 7 out of 5 national parties with the ECI.

While BSP, NCP, CPM, CPI and AITC have declared a total income of Rs. 299.54 crore, the BJP and the Congress have failed to submit their audit reports to the ECI despite an October 30, 2017, deadline. The ADR report points out that the BJP and the Congress have consistently defaulted on submitting audit reports. In the financial year 2014-15, the BJP submitted its report 133 days after deadline while the Congress made a delay of 153 days. The BJP delayed submission by 209 days in 2015-16 while the Congress delayed it by 252 days.

The CPM has declared total income of Rs 100.25 crore while the NCP has declared Rs 17.23 crore as its income for the financial year 2016-17. The AITC has declared Rs 6.39 crore as its income while CPI has said it made Rs 2.07 crore income. The BJP which declared the highest income of Rs 570.86 crore for the financial year 2015-16 is yet to submit its audit report for this year.

Source of income for parties

The five national parties who have submitted their audit reports have declared donations or contributions as one of their three main sources of income. The BSP has declared income of Rs 75.26 crore received as donations. The CPM, NCP, AITC have declared Rs 36.72 crore, Rs 6.62 crore and Rs 2.17 crore respectively as income from donations.

Apart from donations, parties have declared membership fees and bank interest as the other two main sources of income. While donations make up for 40.30 per cent of the total income of all five parties, membership fees make up 22 per cent and bank interest constitutes 17.87 per cent of income, according to ADR's analysis. Fund collection, revenue from subscription, the sale of publication, collection by issuing coupons, levy, written off sundry balance and miscellaneous income are other sources declared by parties.

While the party with the highest income is likely to change once the BJP and the Congress file their audit reports, BSP currently stands at the first position with the highest income for the financial year 2016-17.

OneIndia News