During the financial year 2023-24, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received the highest fund of ₹4340.47 crore, making it the top political party to receive funding. 

The BJP announced that it had received ₹4,340.47 crore in the year 2023-24, and clarified that only 50% of the received funds were spent, as per the report ‘Analysis of Income and Expenditure of National Political Parties for FY 2023-24’ published by Association for Democratic Report (ADR) on February 17.

ADR stated that out of the total funds received by the BJP, 50%, or approximately ₹2,211.59 crore, was not spent. In comparison, Congress received ₹1,225.12 crore in donations during the last financial year and spent ₹1,025 crore, which is 83% of its total income. 

The largest portion of funding for all parties came from electoral bonds. The BJP received the most, ₹1,685.63 crore, followed by Congress with ₹825.36 crore, and Aam Aadmi Party with ₹10.15 crore. These three parties collectively received ₹2,524 crore, approximately 43% of the total electoral bond funds.

The Supreme Court had annulled the electoral bonds in May last year. In an RTI response, the ADR mentioned that political parties received a total of ₹4,507 crore through electoral bonds during the financial year 2023-24. 

Out of ₹2,524.13 crore, or 55.99%, went to national parties. Congress spent the most on election-related activities, about ₹619 crore, while ₹340 crore was spent on administrative and general expenses. 

CPI(M) spent ₹56 crore on administrative expenses, and ₹47 crore on employee-related costs.

There has been an increase in the donations received by political parties each year, with BJP leading the trend. 

According to ADR’s report, in the financial year 2014-15, BJP received ₹970 crore in donations, while Congress received ₹593 crore, and CPI received ₹1.84 crore. Even then, the BJP received 51% of the total donations.

Regarding corporate donations received by national parties, 90% of the funds went to BJP, with Gujarat in second place.

In the year 2022-23, BJP received ₹680.49 crore in corporate funds, which was eight times higher than the total funds received by all other parties. 

BJP received ₹610 crore from 3067 business houses (companies). In comparison, Congress received ₹55 crore from 70 business houses, AAP received ₹11 crore from 69, and CPI(M) received ₹2 crore from 104 business houses, as per the report. 

Looking at the states, the highest amounts were received from Delhi (₹263 crore), Gujarat (₹134 crore), and Maharashtra (₹77 crore). Any party receiving more than ₹20,000 in donations is required to disclose the details to the Election Commission. Thus, BJP is the leader in receiving donations from industrialists compared to all other parties. Of the total corporate donations received by national parties, 90% went to BJP.

Also read:

23 of 26 MPs are crorepatis in Gujarat, says ADR report