Regional parties got 51% of their funds via electoral bonds in FY20: Report

The 42 political outfits collected Rs 447.498 crore, which is 50.97 per cent of their total income of Rs 877.957 in 2019-20, says ADR study; only 14 parties declared such donations

India’s regional political parties collected over half of their income from donations made through electoral bonds, according to a new report from the poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The 42 regional parties collected Rs 447.498 crore, which is 50.97 per cent of their total income of Rs 877.957 in 2019-20, the report said. Funding from electoral bonds is a part of the ‘voluntary contributions’ that the political parties get. Funding from voluntary contributions make up 77.03 per cent of the income of these political parties.

Out of the 42 parties, only 14 regional parties declared donations through electoral bonds.