NewDelhi: In 2014, the Election Commission of India (ECI), had directed all political parties to submit details of their audited reports of funding to the Commission. As per the analysis of these audit reports submitted to the Election Commission, the total income of all 32 regional parties for the year 2016-17 was Rs 321.03 crore. The reports have been analysed by the Association for Democratic Reforms. As per the analysis, the Samajwadi Party reported having the highest income of Rs 82.76 crore, which forms 25.78 per cent of the total income of all 32 regional parties. SP is closely followed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with an income of Rs 72.92 crore. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) stood at the third spot with an income of Rs 48.88 crore.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), etc. are among the 16 regional parties whose audit reports were unavailable on the Election Commission’s website.
Out of 32 regional parties, 14 parties have shown a decline in their income from 2015-16 to 2016-17, while 13 parties have shown an increase in their income. Five regional parties have not submitted their Income Tax Return to the ECI in FY 2015-16.
The total income of 27 regional parties increased from Rs 291.14 crore in 2015-16, to Rs 316.05 crore in 2016-17.
There are 17 regional parties who declared that a part of their income has remained unspent in the year 2016-17 while 15 parties spent more than the income collected during the year.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) have more than 87 per cent of their total income remaining unspent while TDP has 67 per cent of its income remaining unspent for 2016-17.
DMK has declared spending Rs 81.88 crore more than its income while SP and AIADMK declared spending Rs 64.34 crore and Rs 37.89 crore more than their total income.
Samajwadi Party incurred the highest expenditure of Rs 147.1 crore, followed by AIADMK which spent Rs 86.77 crore and DMK with Rs 85.66 crore.
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