According to ADR, BJP received Rs 276.45 crore from electoral trusts, while Congress got Rs 58 crore

According to a study by election rights organisation ADR (Association for Democratic Reforms), the BJP accepted Rs 276.45 crore or 76.17 percent of all donations made to all political parties through electoral trusts in 2019-20.

Congress on the other hand got Rs 58 crore or 15.98% of all donations received by all parties from all seven electoral trusts, according to the report.

The report revealed, “BJP received Rs 276.45 crore or 76.17 per cent of the total donations received by all political parties from electoral trusts followed by Congress which received Rs 58 crore or 15.98 per cent of the total donations received by all parties from all seven electoral Trusts.”

“Other 12 political parties including AAP, SHS, SP, Yuva Jan Jagriti Party, Jannayak Party, JDU, JMM, LJP, SAD, INLD, JKNC and RLD received a total of Rs 25.4652 crore collectively,” it stated further.

According to the research, which examined contribution records of electoral trusts for the fiscal year 2019-20 found out that major contributors to the electoral trusts were JSW, Apollo Tyres, Indiabulls, Delhi International Airport, and DLF groups.

JSW Steel Ltd. contribution to electoral trusts was the highest valued Rs 39.10 crore, second by Apollo Tyres Ltd., which gave Rs 30 crore, and Indiabulls Infraestate Ltd, which contributed Rs 25 crore to different trusts.

In 2019-20, eighteen people donated to electoral trusts. According to the report, ten individuals donated Rs 2.87 crore to Prudent Electoral Trust, four persons contributed Rs 5.50 lakhs to Small Donations Electoral Trust, and four individuals gave a total of Rs 1 lakh to Swadeshi Electoral Trust.

With the aim of transparency, the Election Commission issued rules for the filing of contribution reports of electoral trusts to submit an annual report providing information of contributions received by electoral trusts and distributed by them to political parties.