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ADR Report : The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has released its report on the contributions from electoral trusts for the fiscal year 2022-23, revealing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) garnered over ₹250 crore in donations. A total of 39 corporate and business houses collectively contributed more than ₹363 crore to electoral trusts during this period.
According to the ADR analysis, the BJP emerged as the leading recipient of electoral trust donations, accumulating ₹259.08 crore. This amount constituted 70.69% of the total donations from electoral trusts to all political parties. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) followed closely, receiving ₹90 crore, representing 24.56% of the total donations.
The ADR report disclosed that 39 corporate and business houses played a pivotal role in the funding landscape, contributing over ₹363 crore to electoral trusts. The Prudent Electoral Trust received the lion’s share, securing donations from 34 entities, totaling over ₹360 crore. Additionally, the Samaj Electoral Trust, Paribartan Electoral Trust, and Triumph Electoral Trust received contributions from individual companies, amounting to ₹2 crore, ₹75.50 lakh, and ₹50 lakh, respectively.
Apart from the BJP and BRS, the ADR highlighted that three other political parties—YSR Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Congress—collectively received ₹17.40 crore from electoral trusts.
The Prudent Electoral Trust, a major contributor, allocated ₹256.25 crore to the BJP in 2022-23, marking a decrease from the previous fiscal year’s ₹336.50 crore. Additionally, the Samaj Electoral Trust donated ₹1.50 crore to the BJP during this period. Notably, the Samaj Electoral Trust also extended contributions of ₹50 lakh to the Congress, while the Prudent Electoral Trust distributed funds to four parties, namely BJP, BRS, YSR Congress, and AAP.
The ADR report provides a comprehensive overview of the financial landscape surrounding political funding through electoral trusts, shedding light on the significant contributions and beneficiaries in the Indian political sphere.
