In 2015-16, regional parties income was Rs 221.48 cr: report

NEW DELHI: Thirty-two regional parties amassed an income of Rs 221.48 crore in 2015-16 but they spent only half of it during the fiscal.

Tamil Nadu parties topped the list with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leading with an income of Rs 77.63 crore, followed by its rival and now ruling party the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with Rs 54.93 crore.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh, came third with Rs 15.97 crore.

Of the total income reported by 32 parties, they spent Rs 111.48 crore while declared that the unspent money amounts to 49.67% or around Rs 110 crore.

Three parties, the DMK, AIADMK and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have not spent more than 80% of their income.

While the DMK spent only Rs 6.9 crore and AIADMK Rs 7.09 crore, the TDP spent almost 82% of the income reported in the fiscal.

According to a report released by private election watchdog, the Association for Democratic Rights (ADR), only 32 of the 47 regional parties have so far filed the annual audited accounts.

The deadline ended last October.

The Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Indian National Lok Dal and the National Conference are among the 15 parties which have not submitted the audit reports.

While the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha was the first to submit in June last year, the report said the Aam Aadmi Party was the last party to submit its report, July 13, 2017, 254 days after the deadline.

The report showed that 14 parties reported incurring expenditure more than their total income.

Out of these, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) have spent close to 200% of their total income in 2015-16.

While the JD(U)'s income was Rs 6.58 crore, it spent Rs 23.46 crore, The JVM-P had an income of Rs 12 lakh and it ended up spending Rs 44.9 lakh. The RLD spent Rs 1.29 crore when its income was 45 lakh.

To analyse unknown sources of income, the ADR also looked for the Income Tax Returns but could only find this for 18 parties.

These 18 parties had an income of Rs 206.21 crore.

Of this, Rs 90.74 crore was from donors, 44% of the total income, while another Rs 74.86 crore (36%) was from other known sources.

Total income from unknown sources was Rs 40.61 crore, which is 20% of the total income.

National parties declared collecting 68.57% (Rs 708.48 crore) of their total income from unknown sources during FY 2015-16.

DH News Service