Forty Regional Parties Declare ₹2,532 Crore Income in FY 23-24, according to a new analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The report highlighted that more than 70% of the funds came through electoral bonds.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) reported the highest income at ₹685.51 crore, followed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) with ₹646.39 crore. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) stood at ₹297.81 crore, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at ₹285.07 crore, and the YSR Congress at ₹191.04 crore. Together, these five parties accounted for over 83% of the total income.
ADR noted that regional parties’ income rose by 45.77% compared to FY 2022-23, when it stood at ₹1,736.85 crore. The TMC showed the largest increase of ₹312.93 crore, while the TDP and BJD also recorded significant gains.
Of the declared income, voluntary contributions brought in ₹2,117.85 crore, with electoral bonds alone contributing ₹1,796.02 crore. Interest income added ₹274.90 crore. Meanwhile, 27 parties left a portion of their funds unspent, while 12, including the YSR Congress and DMK, reported expenses higher than income.
ADR also flagged delays in filing audit reports, with many submissions arriving months past the deadline.
