The BJP got Rs 461 crore as donations from 'unknown sources' in 2015-16, accounting for nearly 81 per cent of its total income, while those for the Congress accounted for 71 per cent or Rs 186 crore.
Both the BJP and the Congress together saw more than 77 per cent, or Rs 646.82 crore, of their total income coming from "unknown sources" in 2015-16. According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), voluntary contributions and coupon sales were the key income sources for the ruling BJP and the Congress (INC) while the two parties' cumulative total income amounted to Rs 832.42 crore in fiscal 2016. The total declared income of the BJP and the Congress stood at Rs 570.86 crore and Rs 261.56 crore, respectively, in 2015-16.
"The findings are based on an analysis of the two parties' income and expenditure data submitted to the Election Commission of India. In 2015-16, the BJP's income from unknown sources was Rs 460.78 crore while that of INC was Rs 186.04 crore. Income from "unknown sources" refers to those where the source is not declared for donations below Rs 20,000. Such income includes those from sale of coupons, relief fund, miscellaneous income, voluntary contributions and contribution from meetings or morchas", stated the report.
The contribution statements, submitted by the political parties declaring names and other details of donors who contribute above Rs 20,000, are the only known sources of income parties, ADR said. Among the unknown sources of funding, maximum funds were collected under "voluntary contributions" by the BJP, which amounted to Rs 459.56 crore in fiscal 2016, it said.
The total amount of voluntary contributions, including donations of over Rs 20,000, received by the BJP was Rs 536.41 crore in 2015-16. As for the Congress, the report said the party collected Rs 167.96 crore from "sale of coupons" during the same period.
"Total income of seven national parties for 2015-16 was Rs 1,033.18 crore, of which the parties spent Rs 754.45 crore and declared an unspent amount of Rs 278.73 crore (26.98 per cent unspent of total income)," the report added.
According to the analysis for 2015-16, 23 per cent of BJP's total income remained unspent whereas it was 26 per cent in the case of the Congress.