NEW DELHI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is the richest regional party in the country, followed by the AIADMK, as per a study was conducted by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The study was based on the income and expenditure details (2015-16) furnished by 32 regional parties to the Election Commission.
“DMK has the highest income of Rs 77.63 crore amongst all regional parties, followed by AIADMK with Rs 54.938 crore. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was third with Rs 15.978 crore,” the report released on Friday stated. The DMK’s income accounted for 35.05 per cent of the total income disclosed by 32 regional parties considered for the report, though it was out of power. The report noted that the total income of 32 regional parties during 2015-16 was Rs 221.48 crore, of which Rs 110 crore remained unspent.
More than 80 per cent of the income earned by the DMK, AIADMK and AIMIM (All India Majlise- Ittehadul Muslimeen) remained unspent. There are 47 regional parties recognised by the Election Commission. Of them, 15 did not submit their audited income details for the year 2015-16 by the Oct. 31, 2016 deadline.
These included the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal. The top three regional parties in terms of expenditure were the JD(U) which spent Rs 23.46 crore, followed by TDP (Rs 13.10 crore) and Aaam Aadmi Party (Rs 11.09 crore). Fourteen parties said they spent more than they earned. In fact three parties -- Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), JD(U) and RLD -- spent close to 200 per cent of their total income during 2015-16. The ADR report stated that the IT returns as well as donation statements were available only for 18 regional parties.
The total income earned by these parties from known donors was Rs 90.74 crore. Total income from other known sources (sale of assets, membership fees, among others) was Rs 74.86 crore. Income from unknown sources amounted to a mere Rs 40.61 crore, or 20 per cent of the total income. Of the 18 parties, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha was the only regional party not to declare any income under unknown sources. As far income from unknown sources of funding, the maximum funds were received from “voluntary contributions” amounting to a total of Rs 28.94 crore.
The total income of political parties from unknown sources for FY 2015-16 is Rs 40.61 crore, which is 20% of the total income of the parties from all over India. National Parties declared collecting 68.57% (Rs 708.48 cr) of their total income from unknown sources during FY 2015-16. ADR report said the second most preferred unknown source of funding was “gross receipts” under which the Shiromani Akali Dal raked in Rs 6.59 crore.
