Udhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena has received the maximum donation among all regional parties followed by Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during 2016-17 financial year.
The Shiv Sena has declared receiving Rs 31.82 crore while AAP declared receipt of Rs 24.73 crore from 3,865 donations. Punjab-based SAD received Rs 15.45 crore, which is the third highest among all regional parties.
According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report released on Thursday, total income of as many as 29 regional political parties during 2016-17 was Rs 347.74 crore, where income from "unknown sources" stood at Rs 77 crore. The report says total income from "known donors" was Rs 91.29 crore, which is 26.25 per cent of the total income of the parties.
However, the Shiv Sena saw 70 per cent decline in the donations - from Rs 61.19 crore in 2015-16. The biggest gainer during the same period was Assam-based Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the JD (Secular) of Karnataka. The AGP received Rs 0.43 crore registering 7,183 per cent increase over the previous year. The JDS received Rs 4.2 crore, up 596 per cent over the previous year.
When declared donations of the three parties - Shiv Sena, AAP and SAD, received from 'known sources' are clubbed, data shows that they have received 72 per cent or Rs 65.83 crore of the total Rs 91.37 crore.
The details of donors of such voluntary contributions are not available in the public domain. Other known sources of income include sale of moveable and immoveable assets, old newspapers, membership fees, delegate fee, bank interest, sale of publications and levy .
Under the Representation of the People Act, which lays down the rules for elections, all political parties functioning in the country are required to report all contributions received in excess of Rs 20,000.
The ADR analysis shows that 75 per cent or Rs 68.17 crore of the donations received from 'known sources' came from within the county and little below 10 per cent or Rs 8.82 crore from abroad.
The State from where maximum donations were received is Delhi. The national capital donated Rs 20.86 crore to the regional parties. It is followed by Maharashtra from where political parties received Rs 19.70 crore and Punjab with Rs 9.42 crore.
Interestingly, out of Rs 91.37 crore donations received from 'known sources', only 3 per cent or Rs 2.82 crore was received in cash.
Out of the total income of Rs 77.08 crore from unknown sources, 98.61 per cent, or Rs 76 crore, came from voluntary contributions.
Through collection from sale of coupons, regional parties collected Rs 65.60 lakh and from miscellaneous income they mopped up Rs 41.80 lakh, it said.
On sector-wise classification of known donations to the parties, the report said, 60.42 per cent of all donations amounting to Rs 55.21 crore were received via 411 donations from corporate/business houses in 2016-17.